Single Origin - Costa Rica Hacienda Sonora Honey Natural

Costa Rica Hacienda Sonora - Honey Natural

Flavour Notes: Strawberry jam, Maple syrup, Winey

Varietals:  Red Catuai, Yellow catuai, Venecia, Borbon, Geisha, Villalobos and Villa Sarchi

Process: Natural / Honey

Altitude: 1200-1300 masl

District:  San Pedro de Poas, Alajuela Costa Rica. (Central Valley)

Brew: Aeropress, V60, Plunger

About the bean:

Hacienda Sonora Estate has been in Alberto's family for over a century, and its history is deeply rooted in coffee cultivation. When Alberto took over the farm in the 1970s, he made the strategic decision to dedicate most of the land to coffee planting. It soon became their primary source of income, and Alberto's passion for the industry grew. In 1999, faced with historically low coffee prices, Alberto made a bold move by investing in a mill to maximise the quality of their beans. This decision marked the beginning of their journey as pioneers in alternative processing techniques, including Honey and Naturals. Through these methods, Alberto showcased the unique complexity that different varieties bring to the cup and demonstrated his expertise as a coffee producer.

In 2011, the next generation joined the operation when Alberto's son Diego became a co-manager of Hacienda Sonora. Today, the estate boasts an impressive range of over 20 varieties spread across 80 hectares of coffee land. Additionally, they have set aside more than 20 hectares as a forest reserve, creating a welcoming haven for coffee lovers and nature enthusiasts alike.

One exceptional offering from Hacienda Sonora is their Honey-Natural blend, meticulously crafted from a combination of black honey processed coffee and naturally processed coffee. The black honey process involves drying the beans with an intact mucilage layer, resulting in a unique flavour profile. This blend, known as 'red gold', due to its velvety crema, is ideal for espresso blending or enjoying as a single-origin espresso.

The journey of this blend begins with careful hand-picking of the ripest cherries, followed by the separation of floaters. The cherries are then taken to the estate's distinct drying patios, where a special mix of black tarps and screens is employed. This innovative method ensures that the coffee beans never meet the grass, creating a controlled environment that lowers the temperature and slows down the drying process. After 12 days of sun-drying, the coffee rest for an additional 3 days in the warehouse at a moisture content of 14%. To achieve better uniformity, mechanical drying is employed at temperatures that never exceed 35°C. Once the desired moisture content of 10.5% is reached, the beans undergo a two-month rest period inside the dried cherry before proceeding to the final stages of dry milling and sorting. Hacienda Sonora takes great pride in its state-of-the-art dry mill, equipped with modern and finely tuned machinery, ensuring meticulous sorting and quality control.

The Honey Natural blend represents the culmination of Sonora's diverse varieties and process styles. Carefully selected and processed with exceptional efficiency, this coffee offers a truly special cupping experience, embodying the expertise and dedication of Hacienda Sonora.