What is Los Altos?
A smooth, sweet Nicaraguan coffee that Origin brings back every year.
Los Altos is one of Origin Coffee's longest-running coffees. It is grown by the Mierisch family in Jinotega, in the northern highlands of Nicaragua, at 1,275 to 1,400 metres. The variety is Red Catuai and the process is washed. Origin describes it as approachable and well rounded, shaped by high-altitude terroir, precise washed processing and fifteen years of partnership.
Origin's tasting panel lists green apple, prune and roasted hazelnut, with a smooth, round body, a crisp, lemony acidity and a short cocoa finish. Origin scores it 84.5. It is sold whole bean, or ground for espresso, AeroPress or filter, in 250 g and 1 kg bags.
The Mierisch family and fifteen years of buying
The same producer, year after year, with the price on the page.
The Mierisch family farm several estates in Nicaragua and are known for careful processing and for growing many varieties. Origin has bought from them since 2011, and two other Origin coffees we review, Chilamate and Mariposa, mark that fifteen-year relationship. A long relationship matters for quality: a roaster that comes back every year can plan with the farm, and the farm can invest knowing the coffee is sold.
Origin says what it paid for this coffee: $4.25 a pound free on board, 136% above the Fairtrade minimum price. That is the most direct evidence a bag can give that the farm is paid well.
Origin is a certified B Corp and publishes a Transparency panel that almost no other roaster on this site offers: the price it paid for the green coffee (free on board, per pound), how far that sits above the Fairtrade minimum, the cup score, and how long it has bought from the producer. Those figures are on the page as facts. We do not score them, because too few roasters publish them for a fair comparison, but they are the clearest evidence of how a roaster treats its farms that you will find on a bag.
How to brew it
A washed coffee with crisp acidity, at home in a filter.
A washed Catuai with lemony acidity and a cocoa finish is a natural filter coffee, but its round body also makes a sweet, gentle espresso. Origin suggests resting the beans five to fourteen days from the roast date first. Our guide on how to make pour-over coffee is a good place to start.
Los Altos vs Beija Flor
Origin's washed Nicaraguan against its natural Brazilian.
Beija Flor is a natural-process Brazilian from four women-led farms, with apricot, hazelnut and milk chocolate and a rich, creamy body. Both cost the same. Los Altos is cleaner and brighter; Beija Flor is heavier and sweeter. For black filter coffee, Los Altos; for espresso with milk, Beija Flor.
Why the roast date matters
Coffee is at its best for weeks, not the year a best-before date implies.
Roasted coffee gives off carbon dioxide for days after roasting, which is why espresso tastes harsh and filter coffee bubbles hard in the first few days. After that it is at its sweetest for a few weeks, then slowly goes flat as the aromatic oils oxidise. A best-before date, usually set a year or more after packing, tells you nothing about where a bag sits on that curve. A printed roast date does. We list every coffee on the site that prints one in coffee with roast dates, and our scores give real weight to it; Origin stamps it on every bag.
Buy only what you will drink in about a month, keep it in the bag it came in or an airtight container, away from light and heat, and grind just before brewing. Do not keep beans in the fridge: they pick up moisture and smells.
Is Los Altos worth it?
For a transparent, freshly roasted single origin, yes.
Few coffees tell you the farm, the price paid and how long the roaster has bought from it. If you are in the UK, it is an easy recommendation. In the US, the postage changes the sums, and US roasters such as Equator also roast to order and date the bag. See our list of the coffee beans we have scored.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it if
- You want to know the farm and what it was paid.
- You like clean, crisp filter coffee.
- You live in the UK, where delivery is free over £35.
Skip it if
- You want dark, heavy coffee.
- You are in the US and want to avoid international postage.
- You want a subscription delivered outside the UK.
Freshness and shipping
Roasted the day after you order, with the date stamped on the bag.
Origin roasts in Cornwall and says an order placed before midnight is roasted and despatched the next working day. The roast date is stamped on the bag, and Origin suggests resting the coffee for five to fourteen days from that date before brewing. Delivery in the UK is free over £35. International orders go by Royal Mail and must weigh under 1.75 kg, so one 1 kg bag fits but two do not. Origin does not publish what international postage costs; the checkout prices it. Its subscriptions are for UK addresses only.
What it costs
Two bag sizes, priced in pounds.
| Bag | Price | Per kilo | Per cup (15 g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 g | £12.50 | £50.00 | £0.75 |
| 1 kg | £36.50 | £36.50 | £0.55 |
Per-cup figures assume 15 g of coffee. The 1 kg bag works out at £36.50 a kilo against £50.00 in the 250 g bag, so it is the better buy if you can finish it while it is fresh. Prices are in pounds because Origin sells from the UK; a US order pays international postage on top, priced at checkout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who grows Origin Los Altos?
The Mierisch family, in Jinotega, Nicaragua. Origin has bought from them since 2011.
What does Los Altos taste like?
Origin lists green apple, prune and roasted hazelnut, with crisp lemon acidity and a cocoa finish.
How much did Origin pay for Los Altos?
$4.25 a pound free on board, which Origin says is 136% above the Fairtrade minimum.
Does Origin ship Los Altos to the US?
Yes, by Royal Mail, in orders under 1.75 kg. Postage is priced at checkout.
How much is Los Altos?
£12.50 for 250 g and £36.50 for 1 kg.
