weet and creamy with notes of mango, blackberry acidity, molasses sweetness and a dried fruit finish
Costa Rica and Las Lajas. For many specialty coffee lovers, this is a connection that needs no introduction. Oscar and Francisca Chacón are among the absolute pioneers of modern coffee processing in Costa Rica and were some of the first producers to begin experimenting with honey and natural processes. What started as a series of trials at a family micro mill has today become one of the most influential coffee projects in the country.
This lot comes from the San Luis farm in the Central Valley region and consists of the Caturra and Catuaí varieties. It was processed using the unique Perla Negra method, developed by Oscar and Francisca directly at Las Lajas. After harvesting, only the ripest cherries with a high sugar content are selected, then first dried in the sun for about ten days. They are then rested for several days in sealed bags and only afterwards returned to raised beds, where they are slowly dried to completion. This unconventional approach gives the coffee its characteristic sweetness, complexity, and wine-like character.
The Perla Negra process also originated from an unexpected event. After the 2008 earthquake, the area lost water and electricity during harvest, making washed coffee production impossible. Francisca was inspired by African natural processes and began experimenting with drying whole cherries on raised African beds. The result was so impressive that Las Lajas became one of the most renowned producers of natural coffees in Costa Rica. And after tasting this coffee, it’s very easy to understand why.
| variety | caturra & catua |
| process | perla negra natural |
| region | central valley |
| altitude | 1400 – 1600 masl. |
