Top shelf selection: Costa Rica, Perla Negra, 200g

Las Lajas is a family-owned coffee plantation and processing station in the Alajuela region of Costa Rica's Central Valley. The coffee gets its aroma from the high altitude, shade trees, and the volcanic soil of the Poas Volcano, on the lower slopes of which the plantations are located.

Perla Negra is a processing method developed by Oscar and Francisca Chacón's family. Perla Negra means black pearl, and refers to the dark color of the beans when they dry.

This coffee from the Ylähylly selection tastes like blackberry, milk chocolate and fruit. There are also hints of pineapple, orange and honey in the taste.
Perla Negra is one of the farm's small micro-lots, which are only made in small quantities. The coffee berries selected for Perla Negra are picked daily during the harvest season, between December and February. The coffee is measured for its brix value, i.e. how much sugar is in the berry. The coffee is first dried in the sun for 22-30 days. After that, the pulp is removed from the coffee beans and the beans are allowed to rest in sacks for at least two more months before the coffees are shipped for export.

In addition to coffee, Las Lajas farm also grows various bananas and oranges. These trees provide shade for the coffee bushes and also act as natural fertilizers. While coffee cultivation is becoming more demanding every year due to climate change, the Chacóns have noticed the importance of shade trees in the quality of the coffee. So, in addition to the usual coffee tree renewal process, they are currently planting more shade trees each year than before to create protection for the coffee but also to increase the diversity of the area.

Country of origin: Costa Rica
Area: Sabanilla de Alajuela
Farm: Las Lajas
Farmer: Oscar and Francisca Chacón and their family
Variety: Caturra and Catuai Arabica
Altitude: 1500–1700 m
Processing: Natural or sun-dried, Perla Negra processing
Roast level: Optimal around 2/5
Coffee broker: Falcon Coffee

Roasted: 21.05.2024