The honey processing on these beans is very close to the washed processing – very clean honey processing. It does leave it with a hint more sweetness and body but a little less acidity. Not as unique as some of our other honey processed coffees but very tasty indeed.
Nicaraguan Selva Negra coffee is cultivated in the most ecologically sustainable and socially responsible way possible. Learn more by reading our Selva Negra Grower Profile.
Selva Negra’s history is in many ways the history of the coffee in Nicaragua altogether. In the 1880’s the Nicaraguan government invited young German immigrants to come and settle in Nicaragua in order to promote coffee growing in the northern highlands. Many accepted the offer, thus forming the main coffee plantations of the country; some estates bear names of their motherlands. Selva Negra means Black Forest, and the coffee estate is called La Hammonia, Latin for Hamburg. Located approximately 4,000 ft. above sea level, La Hammonia has been producing fine old style Arabica coffee for over 100 years. Eddy Kühl & Mausi Kühl-Hayn, the farm’s proprietors are descendants of two of these original German immigrants – Alberto Vogl and Klaus KÜhl.
Selva Negra Estate Coffee is grown at a high altitude in a shaded environment. This allows the bean to have a slow development cycle which instills an intense and fulfilling flavor to each bean. The coffee is not only 100% Arabica, but more importantly it is mostly Bourbon and Typica strains (which produce higher quality beans than other varieties of coffee trees). The region of Matagalpa, Nicaragua is mountainous with excellent volcanic soil producing exceptional beans. Finally, the coffee is prepared using an environmentally friendly washing process, which gives the coffee still one more unique quality enhancing aspect.
Tasting Notes:
A very clean and sweet cup of coffee. Medium to full bodied with just a little hint of acidity. Lighter roasts produce a pretty delicate cup with a hints of melon and floral balanced with a herbal spice malty note. Medium roasts were our favorite with a bit more pronounced malt tone and a little fuller bodied. Darker roasts produce a very cool sweet malty and smokey type cup – much fuller bodied with a bit more strength to it. Really dark gets a bit edgy.
Roasting Notes:
A good clean cup at almost any roast point. A little lighter bodied at very light roast points but the body builds nicely at even a city plus roast. We liked it best just before 2nd crack – kept it nice and smooth but built up decent body and the nice smokey malty tone.
