Why We Love This Coffee
We sourced this coffee through our friends at Exclusive Coffees, who have played an integral role in what has been coined the ‘micro-mill revolution’ in Costa Rica. Historically, producers would sell their coffee to larger mills where it would be blended with other lots, and their compensation would often depend on volatile commodity prices, however, about 15 years ago, producers began constructing their own small-scale mills and processing their own coffee, gaining access to higher and more stable prices.
This lot is the celebrated SL28 variety, which is a Bourbon derived Arabica cultivar that emerged in the 1930s through the work of botanists at the respected agricultural research institute, Scott Laboratories. Although the name is rather unromantic, SL28 is a favorite of many coffee professionals. Widely planted in Kenya, SL28 is often credited with providing the unique combination of sweetness, refined acidity, and concentrated fruit complexity that is found in the best coffees from Kenya.
From Kenya, SL28 was brought to El Salvador and later to Costa Rica. It was originally planted in the town of San Roque where it acclimated quickly and thrived, and has since been planted throughout the various growing regions in Costa Rica. This lot was processed using the honey method, where trace amounts of fruit are left clinging to the beans after pulping. The honey process gets its name from the sticky, honey-like appearance the residual fruit gets as it dries. In Costa Rica, different color classifications are given to honey processed coffees depending on how much fruit is left on the beans - beans with more residual fruit turn darker while drying than those with less. The coffee is dried on raised beds where it is cared for meticulously to promote even drying. The coveted SL28 variety, high altitude, careful processing, and a host of other factors combined to yield this coffee’s sweet, balanced, and complex flavors.
