Grown by Milton Canales Sevilla on his 32 hectare finca in Estelí, Nicaragua. Las Termopilas is a fantastic example of organic and sustainable farming methods. Using his byproducts as food for his vermiculture and compost projects, his farm requires very few inputs from outside sources.

Milton, his brothers and his father have won several Cup of Excellence awards over the years. This was Milton's year, and his effort and dedication brought a great coffee to auction.

The Cup of Excellence auction brings exceptional coffees to discerning coffee roasters around the world. We joined with a group of 6 roasters from across the U.S. and Canada to bid on and win this lot. It is a special coffee and the premium price Milton received was well deserved, and we are happy to have some to roast.

The coffee exhibits a nobility that is aptly described by the jurors who selected this coffee during the Cup of Excellence Competition. We selected a lighter roast profile to best present the complex, exhilarating inner beauty. This coffee greets you with aroma like a warm embrace then unfolds layer after layer of flavor, leaving you with a lingering smile.

Jury Descriptions:

honey (10), bright sweet round acidity (12), orange aroma (10), subtle (10), complex, velvety (12), currants (2), tangy acidity (5), chewy body (10), floral (7), brown sugar- molasses (5), spicy on break, creamy, smooth vanilla (5), long aftertaste (15), perfumy fragrance and flavor (8), blueberry (7), lemon, blackberries, fruity, juicy orange, sweet, chocolate notes, round, rose, fresh tasting, smooth, light

Please Note: Numbers appearing in brackets next to a description indicate the number of jurors who agreed with the description

Farm: Las Termopilas

Dry Mill: Prodecoorp R.L

Lot Size: Seventeen 150lb. bags

Rank: 4

International Jury Score: 90.58 (Presidential Award Winner)

City: Estelí

Region: Nueva Segovia

Country: Nicaragua

Farm Size: 32.00 Hectares

Coffee growing area: 8.00 Hectares

Altitude: 4500 ft./1400 masl