COSTA RICA LAS LAJAS NATURAL #1263

Curator's Notes

Succulent citrus. Sticky sweetness. One sip of the bangin' Costa Rica Las Lajas, and you'll see why we're calling this one the Pineapple Upside-down Cake Coffee! Fresh from our newest partner, Onyx Coffee Lab, this natural-process Costa Rican microlot is a wonder of sweet, smooth, sparkling flavor. Before you even brew these beans, you'll be struck by their mouthwatering, fruity aromas. In the cup, notes are round and rich, almost wine-like with berries and tropical fruits, papaya and pineapple, sweet like a drizzle of raw honey. The vanilla-toned finish balances out the intensity of the citrus. This "upside-down" coffee will have you flipping up your mug to taste every last drop.

Roaster's Notes

We are buzzing with excitement for our third harvest working with Las Lajas. The Chacons routinely produce wonderfully perfumed and sweet coffees, and this natural is no different. Expertly processed at their immaculately clean mill, this natural strikes a near-perfect balance of tactile and flavor complexity with notes of tart raspberry and a lingering sweetness of honey. The Las Lajas micromill is located in the Sabanilla de Alajuela region of Costa Rica. Francisca and Oscar Chacon greet you in the driveway with huge smiles and a willingness to show you their stunning farms. Their pride is evident as they show you each immaculate step the coffee goes through. It all starts with their farming practices; Las Lajas is a certified organic farm. These third-generation producers focus on preserving the environment while maintaining the highest quality coffee. Their micromill is immaculately clean, keeping the processing standards they are well known for; the Chacons were some of the first to do high-quality naturals and honeys in Central America. Going into the 2020 harvest, they completed a renovation of their mill, complete with a corkscrew conveyor belt that transports depulped coffee to a custom trailer, which transports it to their drying facility. Strict size and density separation happen at the mills, even the naturals are passed through the mill to separate the less ripe and small size cherries after selective harvesting. The last step of quality and care takes place on the drying patios and beds. This is where we believe Las Lajas is truly advancing coffee. Oscar told us that he strives to focus on drying the green coffee the same as a roaster focuses on roasting by paying close attention to curves and data. They have become so precise in their processing that they have been able to produce several offerings under various monikers; this particular coffee is their Perla Negra, a natural-process coffee by which whole cherries are turned hourly on raised beds. https://onyxcoffeelab.com/products/costa-rica-las-lajas-natural-2