C030: 

Farm/Producer:  Oscar and Francisca Chacon

Region: Costa Rica, Sabanilla de Alajuela

Process: Black Honey 

Altitude: 1500 - 1700 masl

Variety: Catuai, Caturra

Cup Profile: Dried Apricot, cherry boiled sweets, mandarin acidity, malt chocolate

Background info: 

A new coffee on the list and a new country to explore at Cedar. This is our first release of a Costa Rican coffee at Cedar. This country is renowned for its honey processing methods especially Las Lajas washing station.

Oscar and Francisca decided a long time ago to change their farming practices and move away from using pesticides to become a certified organic farm. They have made a compost-like fertilizer from the pulp of the coffee processing and other waste from nearby mills.

The process method is quite interesting as there are different shades of honey process and each country, heck even farms use different honey processing practices. This one in particular is a black honey process; what happens is the cherries are pulped and then left to dry on African raised beds for 15 - 20 days. The coffee is left untouched for two days, thereafter the coffee is agitated by periodic movements 4 times a day, this is done to decrease the coffee's humidity

This coffee was a standout on the cupping table, we got flashes of pink which is weird to explain but it does give an expression of vibrancy. On filter we picked up notes of , plum, cherry boiled sweets, and a mandarin acidity. A lot going on but still quite a clean and balanced cup. Espresso hits you with notes of dried apricot. The milk drink however changes the drink completely as it transforms from a fruity filter to a malt chocolate drink.