COSTA RICA, Chacón, Las Lajas, Valle Centrale

Producer: Oscar and Francisca Chacon. 

Growing altitude: 1500masl. 

Botanical variety: Caturra.

Process: Natural - Perla Negra.

Tasting notes: Maple syrup, mollasses, blackberry, plum, black currant flavours.

Roast date: 7 September, 2023

Dona Francisca and Don Oscar Chacon of Las Lajas Micromill are third-generation coffee producers in their family. They inherited their farms from their grandparents, and are known for being among the first to process high-quality Honeys and Naturals in Central America, and for participating in the Cup of Excellence auction.

Las Lajas is an organic micromill located in Sabanilla de Alajuela in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica. Organic coffee in Costa Rica is almost nonexistent, and with this caliber of cup makes it one of a kind; they believe in the preservation of the environment hence their organic practices.

Las Lajas processes coffee from their family farms’; these lots are fully traceable and separated by day. Water use is minimal, since the coffee is not washed.

During the harvest, Francisca and Oscar will measure the Brix content in the coffee cherry to determine the optimal time to pick the coffee. 21–22% Brix content has been the maximum they’ve seen.

Year after year this family produces some of the most unique tasting coffee. There is a rich tradition of coffee farming in the Chacón family: generations have owned and produced coffee on their land for more than 80 years.