When Cuban coffee trees arrived in Costa Rica around 1779, farmers quickly realised that the high-altitude terrain and nutrient-rich soils offered ideal growing conditions. By the mid-19th century, coffee had become a primary economic driver, funding critical infrastructure like national roads and railways. In 1989, Costa Rica chose a deliberate path toward quality by legally mandating that only 100% Arabica could be cultivated. This strict focus on flavour was tested in 2008 when an earthquake caused critical water shortages. Unable to use the traditional wet process, resourceful Costa Rican coffee producers began experimenting with natural processing methods.

This Costa Rican coffee is Leigh and Winston's third release from the La Isla Specialty Coffee Farm. It is from an SL28 lot, grown and processed in Costa Rica's Lourdes de Naranjo region. Nestled on the slopes of the mountain of the same name, La Isla is owned and operated by the Jiménez and Padilla family, who have cultivated coffee for more than three generations. As SL28 is a variety developed and cultivated in Kenya, this coffee offers a unique intersection of Central American terroir and East African heritage. Read more about the La Isla farm's processing method and this coffee's variety in Cedar's notes below.

Cedar's notes

"On filter, expect a bright, juicy cup with notes of cling peach and a clean, structured acidity. As espresso, the profile becomes more rounded and syrupy, with rooibos-like notes coming through. With milk, it softens into a smooth, dessert-like cup, with a caramel cake sweetness."

• Cup profile: Cling peach, rooibos, caramel cake

Coffee details from Cedar

"We're always looking for coffees that clearly express place, variety, and processing, and this lot from La Isla is a great continuation of that. Having worked with this producer before, we were excited to see how SL28 performs on the farm. It stood out for its structure and clarity, bringing a more vibrant, fruit-forward profile while still holding that balanced, sweet character we've come to expect from La Isla.

"La Isla is a young, fast-rising farm in Naranjo, run by the Jiménez & Padilla family, and already making its mark with a 6th place in the 2024 Cup of Excellence Costa Rica. Grown at 1500–1700 MASL, this SL28 benefits from the region's volcanic soils and stable climate, offering a slightly different expression of a variety more commonly associated with Kenya.

"This lot is processed as a natural, with cherries handpicked at peak ripeness and dried slowly in their whole form. The result is a more fruit-driven and syrupy profile, while still maintaining clarity in the cup."

• Country: Costa Rica
• Farm: La Isla
• Producer: Jiménez & Padilla family
• Region: Naranjo, Lourdes
• Process: Natural
• Altitude: 1,560 masl
• Variety: SL28