Nicaragua Massive Maragogype

Arrived August 2023, new crop.

Grown in Nicaragua in a coffee region surrounding the city of Jinotega. This city exports 80% of Nicaragua's coffee. The cool mountain temperatures make this region perfect for growing coffee.

The Maragogipe (alternately spelled Maragogype) variety, also known as "the elephant bean", produces the largest beans in coffee.  The coffee gets its name from a town called Maragogipe in Brazil where it was discovered in 1870. These coffee trees produce massive leaves, big cherries, and large seeds (beans), however, the yield of the plant is very low making this one of the rarer varieties. The general flavor of Maragogipe will vary with growing conditions and processing but when done right, like this one, the beans can have very complex and big flavors, often with pronounced jasmine and other florals.

Maragogype is a natural mutation of Typica. The mutation causes the beans, internode spacing and leaves to be especially large and is due to a single dominant gene. Maragogipe is one of the parents of the variety Pacamara, and a related variety called Maracaturra.  The variety has a very low yield accounting, in part, for higher pricing than more common varieties and it is also susceptible to rust disease which would diminish available cherry if a plot of land were affected.  The trees grow extra tall and have bronze tips. It is not often that we see this variety, especially of a quality level such as this.

Cup Characteristics: Very sweet aromas of cocoa, toffee, and tobacco. Flavors of white grape and plum. Florals in aroma and cup. Very clean, juicy, slightly drying and pleasant lingering tartness.

Roasting Notes:  A slower build up of temperature is recommended here. Humidity is about 10% and in addition to its size difference, the beans will roast a little more quickly than typical beans.  You will want this coffee in a medium roast to bring out the sugars and florals.