We taste: strawberry, grape candy, hibiscus

Farm: Finca Los Pinitos
Region: Cirri Sur, Naranjo, West Valley
Processing Method: Black Diamond Natural
Elevation: 1,500 msl
Varieties: Villa Sarchi

For the sixth year in a row, we're excited to bring you delicious coffee from third generation coffee producers Dona Francisca and Don Oscar Chacon. We love working with Oscar and Francisca Chacón because they are committed to quality and innovation. They’re among the very first farmers in Costa Rica to produce Honey and Natural process specialty coffee. Coffee is more than just in their family heritage: It's in their hearts and souls.

In 2005, after years of delivering their cherry to a cooperative for the going market price, they decided to join the brand-new "micro-mill revolution" and buy their own depulper to have more control over the quality and the price they received for their lots. "At first, we didn't know what we were doing," Oscar explains. "We were just experimenting." That experimentation led to some of the most exciting new flavor profiles we have ever tasted. Now, the Chacons produce a wide range of Honey process coffees, modulating the drying time in order to create different effects in the cup.

Necessity bred more innovation for the family when an earthquake in 2008 wiped out electricity and water to their area during the harvest. Unable to run the depulpers or to wash the mucilage off to produce Washed lots, Francisca took inspiration from her knowledge of African coffee production and quickly built raised beds on the property.

These days, Las Lajas focuses on several variations of both Honey and Natural processing. This natural “black diamond” coffee is grown and processed at the Las Lajas micro-mill in Costa Rica We had the privilege of meeting Francisca when she visited us a few years ago with the Legendary Coffee Producer Tour, hosted by Cafe Imports.

What makes this black diamond process different from all the rest, is the intentional curing process. It is still a Natural process, but the drying period takes between 15 to 22 days. The process is very similar to their other Natural processes, beginning with the rigorous harvesting standards, sorting, and drying for one day on raised beds. Then the beans are moved from the raised beds to the drying patio.

The drying process takes more attention than the rest of their Naturals. Since it’s a slow drying process, they need to constantly check on the temperature and movement of the beans so they don’t get heated. What they’re aiming for with this process is slow dehydration, slower than usual, not allowing the temperature to rise abruptly, and everything under control measures. Oscar explained that the concept comes from the process of drying coffee seeds for nursery, slowly drying them without compromising the embryo; a passive drying process.

With this process, they don’t want to harm the beans with high temperatures rather than allow the sugars of the mucilage to cold crystalize. The goal of the Diamond process is to obtain sweeter, brighter coffees with more clarity.

TL;DR: This coffee was tended with extremely meticulous care!

For more info on Las Lajas, check out this video.