Nicaragua Las Morenitas Washed

Las Morenitas is one of seven estates that reach across Jinotega and Matagalpa owned by Victor Robelo as part of the Las Nubes group. Comprising of around 200 hectares within Jinotega, 80% of the farm is Caturra, but where Catimor once grew, this has now been replaced with Marsellesa, a new varietal showing great promise in Nicaragua and Mexico. Marsellesa is a cross between Hybrido de Timor and Villa Sarchi as part of a pedigree selection process in Nicaragua with an eye to cup quality as well as Rust resistance. It also sits as part of the WCR Verified program.

The workers on the farm itself are paid 35% higher than the market rate as a way to ensure the best pickers come back to work at the farm when harvest is in full swing and are rewarded for their efforts in doing so. The coffee is picked and processed at the farms own wet mill, before being taken as wet parchment to the dry mill facility in Matagalpa that Las Nubes bought in 2014. It is here that the drying beds are located, stacked three or four layers high to control temperature and humidity as required for the processing method. As the coffee dries it is moved gradually lower and lower in the drying facility until it is ready for dry milling and bagging for export.

Jinotega is the second largest department in Nicaragua, situated in the north of the country bordering Honduras. Matagalpa borders Jinotega to the south.