Costa Rica - Las Lajas - Black Honey Milenio
Regular price
R 420.00
Flavor Notes: Cacao - White Grapes - Crisp Apple - Mango
Produced by Francisca and Oscar Chacon of Finca Las Lajas, entirely of the Milenio variety of Arabica,
one of the rare first generation of F1 hybrid varieties that were created to save the coffee world simultaneously from mediocrity and climate change by crossing a tough, disease-resistant variety (in this case Sarchimor) with an Ethiopia variety admired for its beauty in the cup (Sudan Rume).
The traditional Costa Rica cup profile is classic, admired for its consistency, balance and immaculate freedom from taint — and often patronized for that same clean balance. One finds it accused of an absence of surprise, a lack of idiosyncrasy and nuance. For many coffee insiders, the traditional Costa Rica cup is the Honda of coffees, reliable but neither fancy nor flashy.
Justification for this reputation probably can be found in the respectable yet plain-tasting tree varieties dominating Costa Rican fields, particularly the compact Caturra variety. Plus there is the well-developed, sophisticated Costa Rica coffee infrastructure that performs consistent, centralized fruit removal, drying and grading without provoking taint, but without introducing the nuance often generated by small variations in processing or terroir. Traditionally Costa Rica coffee from various small-holding producers is bulked together by large mills, often owned by multinational trading companies.
MICRO-MILLS AND CHANGE
The classic world of Costa Rica coffee is changing, however, and rather radically. A newer generation of Costa Rican specialty producers has successfully injected variety into the predictable Costa Rica cup, often through unorthodox processing methods. If the traditional Costa Rica cup errs in the direction of predictability, some of the recent micro-milled Costa Ricas seem intent on almost recklessly asserting their unpredictability. Meanwhile, response to the epidemic of leaf rust beginning in 2012 is not clear. It conceivably could end by even further simplifying the basic Costa Rica cup through widespread planting of disease-resistant hybrids.
About the producer
The Las Lajas farm is nestled in the foothills of the Poas Volcano, located outside the town of Sabanilla in central Costa Rica.
The name Las Lajas comes from the Spanish version of an Arabic word for the indigenous-crafted stone artifacts found on the farm when it was first planted. In total, 38 hectares of land are divided into several parcels, each of which grow various shade tree species and create unique micro-climates. In addition, different lots process coffee differently some naturally, others either honey or washed. Las Lajas's farming diversity allows the farm to create several distinct products with different characteristics all within a contained area. There is a rich tradition of coffee farming in the Chacon family: generations have owned and produced coffee on their land for more than 80 years.
After the tragic loss of their father due to pesticide-caused illness in 1980, Oscar and Francisca made the conscious decision to do what their hearts told them was best for their family. The two began growing organically. This decision to grow organically was difficult at first because there were no premiums paid for organics at the time. The two risked financial stability. As pioneers, the Chacon family saw the value in building a healthier farm. Today, many farmers and cooperatives benefit from the risk Oscar and Francisca and other farmers took many years ago. Las Lajas was one of the first farms to produce organic coffee and remains one of the only certified-organic farms in Costa Rica.
one of the rare first generation of F1 hybrid varieties that were created to save the coffee world simultaneously from mediocrity and climate change by crossing a tough, disease-resistant variety (in this case Sarchimor) with an Ethiopia variety admired for its beauty in the cup (Sudan Rume).
The traditional Costa Rica cup profile is classic, admired for its consistency, balance and immaculate freedom from taint — and often patronized for that same clean balance. One finds it accused of an absence of surprise, a lack of idiosyncrasy and nuance. For many coffee insiders, the traditional Costa Rica cup is the Honda of coffees, reliable but neither fancy nor flashy.
Justification for this reputation probably can be found in the respectable yet plain-tasting tree varieties dominating Costa Rican fields, particularly the compact Caturra variety. Plus there is the well-developed, sophisticated Costa Rica coffee infrastructure that performs consistent, centralized fruit removal, drying and grading without provoking taint, but without introducing the nuance often generated by small variations in processing or terroir. Traditionally Costa Rica coffee from various small-holding producers is bulked together by large mills, often owned by multinational trading companies.
MICRO-MILLS AND CHANGE
The classic world of Costa Rica coffee is changing, however, and rather radically. A newer generation of Costa Rican specialty producers has successfully injected variety into the predictable Costa Rica cup, often through unorthodox processing methods. If the traditional Costa Rica cup errs in the direction of predictability, some of the recent micro-milled Costa Ricas seem intent on almost recklessly asserting their unpredictability. Meanwhile, response to the epidemic of leaf rust beginning in 2012 is not clear. It conceivably could end by even further simplifying the basic Costa Rica cup through widespread planting of disease-resistant hybrids.
About the producer
The Las Lajas farm is nestled in the foothills of the Poas Volcano, located outside the town of Sabanilla in central Costa Rica.
The name Las Lajas comes from the Spanish version of an Arabic word for the indigenous-crafted stone artifacts found on the farm when it was first planted. In total, 38 hectares of land are divided into several parcels, each of which grow various shade tree species and create unique micro-climates. In addition, different lots process coffee differently some naturally, others either honey or washed. Las Lajas's farming diversity allows the farm to create several distinct products with different characteristics all within a contained area. There is a rich tradition of coffee farming in the Chacon family: generations have owned and produced coffee on their land for more than 80 years.
After the tragic loss of their father due to pesticide-caused illness in 1980, Oscar and Francisca made the conscious decision to do what their hearts told them was best for their family. The two began growing organically. This decision to grow organically was difficult at first because there were no premiums paid for organics at the time. The two risked financial stability. As pioneers, the Chacon family saw the value in building a healthier farm. Today, many farmers and cooperatives benefit from the risk Oscar and Francisca and other farmers took many years ago. Las Lajas was one of the first farms to produce organic coffee and remains one of the only certified-organic farms in Costa Rica.