Nicaragua Pacamara Honey Process from Finca Ataisi

If you’ve ever tasted a coffee that dances between bright fruit and deep chocolate, then faded into a nutty finish, you’ve likely had a well-grown Pacamara. But what makes this variety—especially from Nicaragua—so uniquely expressive? The answer lies in both genetics and processing.

Finca Ataisi’s 2024 Pacamara microlot is a standout: honey processed, grown at 1800m in Sonsonate, Nicaragua, and offering a complex profile of strawberry, cream, and stone fruit. This is a microlot built for pour-over lovers seeking clarity and depth.

What Is Pacamara Coffee?

Pacamara is a hybrid coffee variety, artificially bred in 1958 by Salvadoran researchers. It combines the genetic lines of Pacas and Maragogipe. The result is a bean that inherits Pacas’ refined cup quality and Maragogipe’s impressive size. Most Pacamara beans measure over 17 mesh (100% in this lot), with 90% over 18 mesh. They average 1.03cm in length (typical beans are 0.8–0.85cm), 0.71cm in width (usual range: 0.6–0.65cm), and 0.37cm in thickness. Their shape is notably round and full.

This variety is praised for its vibrant acidity—sometimes tart like green apple, other times creamy like marzipan—and its dynamic flavour spectrum, swinging between biscuit, tropical fruit, and dark chocolate. Body and mouthfeel are typically dense and syrupy. While grown in several Central American countries, Pacamara reaches its highest potential in El Salvador and Guatemala. This Nicaraguan example shows why the variety deserves attention.

Finca Ataisi: The Farm Behind the Microlot

Finca Ataisi is located in the Izalco region of Sonsonate Province, Nicaragua, and spans an impressive 908 hectares. Of that, 20 hectares are dedicated exclusively to Pacamara cultivation. This microlot was harvested in January, during the region’s primary picking season.

The farm holds Rainforest Alliance certification, reflecting its commitment to sustainable agriculture. At 1800 meters above sea level, Finca Ataisi’s elevation contributes to slower maturation and greater sugar development in the coffee cherry—key factors in the complexity of the final cup.

The Pacamara variety here is processed using a washed fermentation method followed by sun drying, a combination that balances clarity and body. This is a micro-lot production, meaning it comes from a specific, small batch of trees, selected and processed individually for higher consistency and unique expression.

Flavour Profile & Processing Method

This particular Pacamara microlot exhibits a flavour palette that includes:

• Nutty and chocolatey base tones
• Bright, tangy notes of passionfruit and strawberry
• Creamy textures and milk chocolate sweetness
• A lingering finish of red berries and nuts

The beans are processed using a washed fermentation technique, where the coffee cherries are depulped, fermented in water to remove mucilage, and then dried in the sun on patios. This method offers cleaner acidity than natural processing while preserving much of the fruit character. Sun drying ensures a gradual moisture reduction, enhancing sweetness and stabilizing the bean’s structure.

The result is a cup that highlights Pacamara’s best traits: big body, juicy acidity, and layered flavours that evolve through the sip.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is special about the Pacamara coffee variety?

Pacamara is a hybrid of Pacas and Maragogipe, bred in 1958 in El Salvador. It combines Pacas’ refined cup qualities—like bright acidity and clean sweetness—with Maragogipe’s large bean size. Most Pacamara beans are 17–18 mesh or larger, with bold physical dimensions (1.03cm long, 0.71cm wide), and are known for their heavy body, dynamic acidity, and complex flavours ranging from fruit to chocolate.

Where is Finca Ataisi located and what is its elevation?

Finca Ataisi is situated in the Izalco region of Sonsonate Province, Nicaragua. The farm sits at 1800 meters above sea level, a high elevation that slows cherry ripening and promotes greater sugar accumulation, leading to more complex and sweet coffees.

How is the Pacamara microlot from Finca Ataisi processed?

This microlot is processed using washed fermentation followed by sun drying. The coffee cherries are depulped, fermented in water to break down the mucilage, then dried on patios under the sun. This method balances clarity and sweetness, and is ideal for highlighting Pacamara’s fruity and chocolatey profile.

What percentage of beans in this lot meet the 17 and 18 mesh sizes?

In this Finca Ataisi Pacamara microlot, 100% of the beans are 17 mesh or larger, and 90% are 18 mesh or larger, indicating a very large and consistent bean size typical of the Pacamara variety.

Is this coffee part of a larger production or a limited batch?

This is a microlot coffee, meaning it is produced from a specific, small selection of trees at Finca Ataisi. Microlots are processed individually to ensure higher quality control and unique flavour profiles, making them limited in availability compared to regular estate batches.

What certifications does Finca Ataisi hold?

Finca Ataisi is certified by the Rainforest Alliance, demonstrating its adherence to environmentally sustainable and socially responsible farming practices.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for Pacamara Fans

For fans of the bold, fruity profile of Finca Ataisi’s Pacamara, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Strawberry Candy Espresso, which blends Geisha and Costa Rican beans with grape-like and berry sweetness. Or explore FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend, a Brazilian classic with deep chocolate and nutty notes reminiscent of Pacamara’s body. Both highlight complexity and sweetness, ideal for filter or espresso. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.