Los Ocotes
Nicaragua Nueva Segovia · Medium Roast
Named for the ocote pine that marks the high country around Ocotal, Los Ocotes is a regional lot from Beneficio Las Segovias—owned and run by fourth-generation producer Luis Alberto Balladárez Moncada and his wife, Esperanza. Coffee from their own farms, Finca La Bendición and Finca Un Regalo de Dios, is blended with lots from neighboring smallholders they work with closely.
The cup is approachable and sweet: caramel, red apple, and warming spice. I am offering Los Ocotes in a medium roast only for now. At this level you get baked apple, dark caramel, and graham-cracker sweetness, with a hint of marzipan. It holds up black, as single-origin espresso, or with milk.
Shipping & Fulfillment
All coffees are roasted in small batches and shipped fresh from South Carolina.
• $5 flat-rate standard shipping on all orders
• Orders typically ship within 2–3 business days
• Free shipping on orders of 3 or more bags
I roast to order whenever possible to ensure peak freshness.
Tracking is emailed as soon as your order ships.
To highlight the natural tasting notes of this single-origin, it is exclusively roasted in a Medium profile.
Roast & Flavor Profile
Medium Roast
I chose medium for this lot because it keeps the baked apple and graham-cracker sweetness in front, with dark caramel and a little marzipan underneath. The cup stays sturdy and balanced—easy for everyday drinking, still interesting enough for a slower pour.
Origin: Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua
- Mill: Beneficio Las Segovias, Ocotal
- Producers: Luis Alberto Balladárez Moncada & Esperanza, plus neighboring smallholders
- Farms: Finca La Bendición, Finca Un Regalo de Dios
- Elevation: 1,000–1,700 MASL
- Process: 95% washed / 5% honey
- Washed: Depulped, 36-hour anaerobic fermentation, then washed
- Honey: No ferment—straight from depulping to an 18-day dry on African beds and patios
- Cultivars: Híbridos (H1, H2, H3), Red Catuai, Marsellesa, Java, SL-34, Paraíso, Caturra Estrella
That small honey fraction plus the long, controlled washed ferment is why the sweetness stays consistent. It is a reliable Nueva Segovia profile: sturdy enough for batch brew, dense enough for espresso.
Brewing Recommendations
- Pour Over / Drip: Medium-fine grind, 1:16–1:17, 195–205°F. Look for baked apple and graham-cracker sweetness.
- French Press: Coarser grind, 4-minute steep. Extra body and caramel.
- Espresso: Fine grind. Excellent as a single-origin shot or with milk.
- Cold Brew: Coarse grind, 12–18 hours. Sweet, round concentrate.
Tip: Store in a cool, airtight container away from direct sunlight.
Los Ocotes belongs in the lineup because it does not ask you to choose between character and reliability. Medium roast, black or with milk—it keeps pulling you back for another cup. Small-batch, roasted here in South Carolina. Bold adventure in every sip.