Farm: El Arbol Origin: dipilto, nueva segovia, Nicaragua Producer: claudia lovo Variety: Guji landrace Fermentation: carbonic maceration 72h in cherry Process: washed Drying: 11 days in shade Altitude. 1600 masl Taste description: White floral aroma with notes of pineapple, red stone fruit, tangerine finish with an amazingly crisp acidity. Story: In 2016 producer Claudia Lovo teamed up with Saša Sestic and other coffee professionals to create a farm that is self-sustaining. This farm previously produced only commodity coffee and was financially unsustainable, so they implemented a model that valued soil, workers, and cup quality equally. Finca El Árbol, meaning ‘The Tree’, is working towards increased biodiversity and becoming completely organic by 2025. They home beehives and livestock, grow vegetables to feed the workers and create their own organic compost to nourish the soil. They have upgraded their workers’ accommodation and provide meals for pickers, health care, dental care and education.On the coffee front, El Árbol’s processing methods are particularly exciting because they are done on a wide range of varieties including marsellesa, pacamara, maracaturra, catuai, bourbon and caturra. The process: Carbonic maceration is a fermentation technique originally used in wine making. Often described as giving fresh fruit flavours and lowering tanins, the technique is famously used to produce wines from the French region of Beaujolais. Despite being used in winemaking since 1934, carbonic maceration only came to prominence in the coffee industry in 2015, when it was used by Saša Šestić in his World Barista Championship-winning routine. Carbonic maceration is a type of anaerobic fermentation – that is, any type of fermentation that takes place under low or no oxygen conditions. Carbonic maceration is achieved by placing whole, undamaged coffee cherries into a sealed vessel, either plastic or stainless steel, usually with a one-way-valve to release pressure build-up, and allowing the cherries to undergo fermentation. Following a similar process to standard anaerobic fermentation, carbonic maceration differs in that the sealed vessel is immediately pumped full of carbon dioxide. During traditional coffee processing, fermentation begins naturally when microorganisms present on the surface of the coffee cherry gain access to the sugary mucilage or fruit flesh – this process occurs for washed or honey processed coffees during pulping. The same process occurs for naturally processed coffees as the fruit begins to dry. When using carbonic maceration, the skin of the coffee cherry is left unbroken, preventing access to the mucilage by microorganisms. Instead, encouraged by the carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere, the coffee cherries undergo intracellular fermentation, a process that occurs from the inside out. This experimental coffee processing technique gives producers a high degree of control over the fermentation process as they are able to manipulate temperature and pH to alter the speed and degree of fermentation. The carbonic maceration process also allows producers to create an environment that differs greatly from that of standard coffee processing techniques, allowing them to produce a wider range of flavour profiles and diversify their offering. In the Jar: Each jar contains 250 grams of whole beans, roasted to perfection for both filter and slightly edgy espresso. Packed and shipped on demand, this coffee ensures maximum freshness, delivering an extraordinary experience from the moment you open the jar. Treat it like a fine bottle of champagne—if you’re lucky, the “swoosh” will fill the room with its intoxicating aromatics. “As soon as you open the jar, you’re hit with the incredible aromas of pineapple, red stone fruit, and tangerine. El Arbol’s commitment to sustainable farming and organic practices shines through in every cup. It’s an unforgettable coffee experience, and one we’re proud to share with the world.” – Oskar Garberg