Nicaragua Selva Negra Estate

This is a completely self-sufficient private coffee estate at the top of a mountain in the Matagalpa region. The workers are given schools, hospitals, social events, clean water, and decent wages. This one works anywhere from light to French. I like it not quite into the 2nd cracks, and either drink it as is or add flavoring to it. But you can take it to the second cracks and call it medium roast. Take it 60 seconds into the second cracks and call it French. You just can't go wrong with this one, it's a flexible coffee. It is one of the most expensive Nicaraguans on the market, partly because of their socially and environmentally conscious practices. They are Bird Friendly certified which is the strictest and hardest of all the certifications to achieve. I buy it straight from the farm 1,200 pounds at a time. If I bought it through a broker like most roasters do, the price would be a good $2 dollars more expensive per pound to cover all the freight and middlemen.

This is the 2014 crop. Coffee Review rated it a 91 in 8/09 http://www.coffeereview.com/review.cfm?ID=1925 I would suggest 2014 was not one of their better years, and I would rate it 86 this year, but it's a nice mug of coffee nonetheless.