The small mountain forest area that is Finca Santa Maria de Lourdes has been owned by Octavio Peralta from 1970, and he began restoring the coffee production in 1994 once the UN had cleared the area of mines, after it had been a war zone for many years. This farm has obtained a rainforest alliance certification in recognition of Octavio's decision to reserve part of his land for the purpose of preserving the natural habitat, which plays a key role in the production of it's coffee. The farm sits in the Nueva Segovia region, which has some of the highest growing altitudes in Nicaragua. Characterised by the diverse range of vegetation and wildlife, these hills are often immersed in thick clouds and benefit from high levels of rainfall.

The Peralta 'Laurel' process is a washed process varying slightly from the traditional methods; after carefully selecting cherries with a minimum Brix value, they are washed, siphoned and pulped, then left for approximately 48 hours. The coffee is rinsed with clean water every 6 hours to prevent the pH dropping too low, and further water is sprayed throughout this period to avoid high temperatures and over-fermentation. After fermentation the coffee is washed thoroughly and left to rest for 24 hours; measurements are taken constantly to ensure an ambient temperature of 17 degrees, a coffee pH of 5 and a water pH of 7. Finally, the wet parchment is dried on covered African raised beds for roughly 13 days, before being rested and milled for export.

Boasting a sweet and fruity flavour profile, with notes of orange, peach, lychee and white sugar, this coffee is an excellent example of the interesting coffees and processes coming out of this beautiful part of the world.