In 1979, our grandpa Ernesto’s coffee farm, El Talisman, was lost during the Nicaraguan Revolution. That same year, our parents’ families were forced to flee the country and independently immigrated to the United States. It was in the U.S. that our parents, Yuri and Johanna, reconnected and married. In 2015, after living in the U.S. for over 30 years, they followed their hearts and moved back to Nicaragua in order to continue the family legacy of coffee farming. They purchased a 35-acre plot near Ernesto’s original farm and named is El Talisman in honor of the family’s legacy. Yuri and Johanna now manage the farm with the help of our amazing and hard-working staff.

We grow our coffee high in the mountains, under the shade of native trees. We follow much the same process that our ancestors did for the last 150 years- farming the land by hand with the utmost care. Also on our property you will find six natural springs, a lagoon, and tropical animals, including a large family of sloths (the inspiration for our logo!). Sustainable practices are also always at the forefront of our minds- eleven acres of the farm are set aside for conservation and five additional acres are in the process of being restored with native tree species.

While Yuri and Johanna tend to the farm in Nicaragua, their children, Fernando and Jo run the U.S. operations in Austin, Texas. Fernando roasts the coffee weekly and in small batches, which is key to our consistency and quality. We are passionate about preserving the quality from seed to cup and blessed to be able to work as a family to share with you our history and traditions. We trust you’ll agree that this is truly coffee our ancestors would be proud of!