Nicaragua La Bastilla El Buey Pink Bourbon Honey 2026

La Bastilla Pink Bourbon Honey Process Green Coffee Beans

This exceptional micro-lot was grown on El Buey, a small micro-farm within Nicaragua's renowned Finca La Bastilla. Featuring the sought-after Pink Bourbon variety, this single-varietal lot showcases the unique combination of high-elevation cultivation, rich volcanic soils, and meticulous honey processing. Hand-picked at peak ripeness, the coffee delivers a vibrant expression of both terroir and variety, offering sweetness, complexity, and a refined cup profile.

Pink Bourbon Honey Processing

The "honey" in honey-processed coffee has nothing to do with honey from bees. Instead, it refers to the sticky layer of mucilage that surrounds the coffee seed beneath the fruit. During honey processing, some of this mucilage is intentionally left on the coffee while it dries. The amount retained influences the final cup, often enhancing sweetness, fruit character, and body.

Honey-processed coffees strike a balance between washed and natural coffees. They tend to showcase more fruit and sweetness than washed coffees while maintaining greater clarity and consistency than many naturals. The result is often a coffee with rounded acidity, a silky mouthfeel, and layered complexity. Honey processing also requires significantly less water than traditional washed processing methods.

El Buey Micro-Farm at La Bastilla

El Buey is one of the many carefully managed micro-farms that make up La Bastilla Coffee Estates in Jinotega, Nicaragua. Located near the Cerro Datanlí-El Diablo Natural Reserve and Lake Apanás, the estate benefits from deep volcanic soils, abundant biodiversity, and ideal coffee-growing conditions. Moderate slopes and high elevations create a unique microclimate that allows coffee cherries to mature slowly and develop exceptional sweetness.

La Bastilla's micro-farm program is designed to highlight the distinct characteristics of specific varieties and growing environments. By separating coffees based on location, altitude, and cultivar, the estate can produce highly traceable micro-lots that express the full potential of each plot. This Pink Bourbon from El Buey represents one of those unique expressions.

While this specific lot is not Rainforest Alliance certified, it was produced on La Bastilla Coffee Estates, a Rainforest Alliance-certified farm that has maintained certification since 2003 and continues to invest in sustainable agricultural practices and environmental stewardship.

Pink Bourbon Coffee Variety

Pink Bourbon is one of the coffee industry's most sought-after varieties due to its remarkable cup quality and distinctive flavor profile. Though often associated with Colombia, it has gained recognition throughout specialty coffee for its complexity, floral aromatics, and vibrant sweetness. In a honey process, Pink Bourbon's natural fruit character becomes even more pronounced, creating a coffee that is both expressive and balanced.

Coffee Bean Quality

This Strictly High Grown (SHG) coffee was cultivated at elevations exceeding 1,200 meters above sea level. At these heights, coffee develops more slowly, allowing cherries additional time to absorb nutrients and build density. The resulting beans are known for their superior sweetness, complexity, and cup quality. After harvest, the coffee was carefully processed and prepared to export-grade specifications to preserve its unique character from farm to roaster.

About Nicaraguan Coffee

Coffee production is deeply woven into Nicaragua's economy and culture. The country's mountainous growing regions, including Jinotega, Matagalpa, and Nueva Segovia, are known for producing high-quality Arabica coffees with remarkable diversity. Nicaragua's combination of fertile volcanic soils, favorable elevations, and experienced producers continues to make it one of the world's most respected coffee origins.

Estates like La Bastilla demonstrate the country's commitment to innovation and quality through micro-lot production, variety separation, and precise processing techniques. These efforts allow roasters to explore distinctive coffees that highlight both origin and cultivar while supporting the continued development of Nicaragua's specialty coffee sector. To learn more about Nicaraguan coffee, visit our blog.