Costa Rica has made a name for itself as a hot spot for some of the most interesting honey processed coffees. Its natural terroir of hills and valleys create numerous micro-climates, leading to large variety in coffee flavours and expressions. These different temperatures and humidity levels affect how a coffee cherry develops, and how it ferments when it is dried. These natural advantages have pushed Costa Rica to the forefront of innovation when it comes to honey processing.

Red honey coffee is dried with 50-75 percent of the coffee cherry still attached, slow dried in the shade until it becomes a dark ruby red (and no, there is no honey involved in the process!). Yellow Honey has less of the cherry attached, Black Honey has more, and the more cherry left during drying, the closer to a natural coffee the end result will be. Red honey leaves enough fruit on the bean to develop fruity and sweet flavours without introducing any fermenty and funky notes that are found in natural or lactic processes.

The Las Lajas farm has been in operation since the 1800s, so they are certainly experienced in their field. Since they bought their own coffee mill back in 2006, they have been pushing the boundaries of natural and honey processing. Owning the mill allows a farmer to own every step of production. Without a mill, they would have to sell their coffee as whole cherries, preventing them from experimenting with different pulping and drying methods that have helped create the coffee we are drinking today.

The Las Lajas Red Honey we have for you, is a sweet fruity cup of coffee. You can expect a sweet aroma of chocolate and cantaloupe, a clean taste of black cherry, followed by a dash of pomegranate acidity.