About This Coffee
This coffee was cultivated at Finca El Salitre and processed at Alvarado family’s micromill, Corazon de Jesus. The micromill was founded by the Alvarado Fonseca family in 2015 and has achieved significant milestones since opening. That dedication has been rewarded with remarkable success - 3rd place in the 2022 Cup of Excellence and 2nd place in 2024. Most recently, they earned 1st place in 2025, winning top honors across all three processing categories: washed, honey, and natural. These well-deserved achievements are a testament to the family's technical excellence and enduring passion for coffee.
This lot is processed using a GEO Natural method, a unique process developed by the Alvarado family and exclusive to Corazón de Jesús. Designed to maximize sweetness, body and stability, it produces a balanced and expressive cup. Expect notes of caramel, milk chocolate and red apple, complemented by bright acidity and a clean, lingering finish.
Cultivation
Coffee cultivation in Pérez Zeledón dates back to the late 19th century, when the first settlers migrated from Costa Rica's Central Valley and transformed the region into a thriving coffee-producing hub. Today, Pérez Zeledón is home to an estimated 12,000 hectares of coffee cultivation across more than 4,200 farms, making coffee a vital part of the local economy.
Farmers in the region benefit from a diverse range of microclimates, with elevations spanning 800 to 1,700 meters above sea level and an average temperature of 22°C. Combined with nutrient-rich soils and cool mountain conditions, these factors produce coffees with distinctive and exceptional cup profiles.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
For this unique GEO Natural lot, ripe cherries are selectively handpicked and undergo 48 hours of anaerobic fermentation in hermetically sealed bags at 18-20°C, followed by 4-7 days of slow drying on raised beds to preserve their natural sugars. The partially dried cherries are then rested in sealed bags at cool temperatures (15-17°C) for 10–15 days, encouraging slow maturation that deepens flavor development and enhances aromatic complexity. After a final drying stage of approximately 15 days, the coffee is rested for 4-5 months before being dry-milled and prepared for export. The result is a refined, silky cup with pronounced sweetness and balanced acidity.
Micromills in Costa Rica
Costa Rica's micromill movement transformed the specialty coffee industry by giving producers greater control over quality, traceability and market access. Before the late 1990s, most farmers delivered coffee cherries to large cooperative or private mills, where coffees from many farms were processed and blended together. While efficient, this system made it difficult for exceptional producers to distinguish their coffees or capture the premiums they deserved.
Around the turn of the millennium, a handful of pioneering producers began establishing their own small-scale micromills. By processing coffee on their own farms, they could carefully manage every stage from harvest through drying, while preserving the identity of individual varieties and lots. The model emerged in response to both historically low coffee prices and growing demand from specialty roasters for traceable, high-quality coffees.
Micromills also became centres of innovation for the Costa Rica coffee sector. Producers experimented with processing methods, particularly honey processing, alongside traditional washed and natural coffees, helping establish the country as one of the world's leading origins for processing innovation. Today, the country is home to hundreds of micromills, many of which have built direct relationships with roasters and earned international recognition for exceptional quality.
The rise of micromills fundamentally changed the relationship between producers and the specialty coffee market. By taking ownership of processing, farmers gained greater control over quality, could experiment with processing methods and, importantly, market coffees under their own farm names. This shift helped create the traceability, transparency and distinct lot separation that have become hallmarks of Costa Rican specialty coffee today.
About Caturra
Caturra, a coffee variety known for its short, compact stature, is a natural mutation of Bourbon. It was first discovered in Minas Gerais, Brazil around 1915. The variety is the result of the mutation in a single gene of the Bourbon variety that made the plant smaller but still high yielding. As it spread, Caturra enabled higher-density coffee cultivation.
As a direct descendant of Bourbon, Caturra is well known for delicate and complex flavors that are often floral and fruity. At the same time, its close relationship with Bourbon means Caturra is very susceptible to coffee leaf rust (CLR) and other common coffee diseases and pests. As a result, Caturra was later bred with CLR-resistant hybrids from Timor-Leste, producing the Catimor and its subsequent varieties.
About Catuai
Catuai is a cross between Mundo Novo and Caturra that’s commonly cultivated across Central America and Brazil. Its dwarf size means that Catuai can be planted closely together to maximize yields. Catuai is available in both red and yellow varieties, but there is no discernable difference in taste between the two.
Catuai was first researched in the 1940s and was introduced to Brazil in 1972. It is now common across Brazil for its good quality cup. Catuai is also common in Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica, where it makes up significant portions of the total coffee produced. Catuai is known for having a fruity and complex taste profile that does well at high altitudes. The variety is highly susceptible to Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) and Coffee Berry Disease (CBD).
Coffee in Costa Rica
Thanks to tireless innovations, the sheer number of coffee varieties, extensive technical knowledge and attention to coffee production, Costa Rica is one of the most advanced coffee producing countries in Central America.
The climatic conditions in the country also play a role in the high quality of coffee produced. There are eight coffee regions: Guanacaste, West Valley, Turrialba, Valle Central (Central Valley), Tres Rios, Brunca, Orosi, and Tarrazú, a specific part of Valle Central.
Costa Rica has also become a world leader in traceability and sustainability in coffee production. Ninety percent of the country’s 50,000 coffee farmers are smallholders, and today, many deliver their cherry to boutique micro-mills that often process cherries according to producer specs to retain single-lot or single-farm qualities.
The rise of micro-mill processing, in itself, is a relatively recent development. Prior to the early 2000s it was common for smaller producers to deliver their cherry to cooperative-owned mills. As lucrative specialty markets developed, more and more farmers began establishing mills on their own farms, giving them increased control over processing and more assurance of the ‘traceability story’ so important to the growing market segment. Mills with excess capacity would then offer their services to neighboring farmers, offering a range of processing methods for small lots along with full traceability for roasters and importers. The system has enabled Costa Rica’s small to mid-sized coffee farmers to offer a wide range of differentiated products. Today, specialty lots from Costa Rica are almost as likely to bear the name of the micro-mill where they were processed as that of the producing farm.
The typically uncertain and dry weather patterns in Costa Rica make coffee farming more difficult. Long dry seasons and unpredictable weather patterns have virtually eliminated the possibility of organic farming. Nonetheless, both the government and farmers have taken active steps to protect the environment. Some of these restrictions also inform the processing methods for which Costa Rican coffee has become known.