Costa Rica Tarrazu is recognized as a world-class, superbly balanced classic. Bright citrus notes complement its generous body, crisp acidity, and clean finish. Grown in the mountainous Tarrazu region recognized as Costa Rica's foremost coffee producing district, the Tarrazu flourishes in fertile volcanic soil and a mild Pacific climate.
No single country or region can guarantee a consistent level of coffee quality each year since coffee is as susceptible to the forces of nature as any other agricultural product. Yet coffees from Tarrazu continually stand out for their brightness and captivating aroma, perhaps owing to their cultivation on slopes facing the Pacific side of the Isthmus of Costa Rica. This is a coffee accustomed to lofty expectations and one that will doubtless exceed yours.
Costa Rica's coffee cultivation began in 1779 with seedlings imported from Cuba. Within fifty years coffee had surpassed all other agricultural products to become the country's most lucrative export. Costa Rica is the only Central American nation to mandate that its coffee producers grow Arabica coffee varieties exclusively. Owing to stringent quality-control measures employed during processing, premier Costa Rican coffees are meticulously wet-processed and embody a standard of excellence unequalled among other Latin American coffees. Designated as Strictly Hard Bean (SHB), Costa Rica's highest grade, the Tarrazu's slow-maturing beans yield superior flavor, body, and acidity.
Costa Rica is a land of many microclimates due to great variations in altitude. These differences influence the flavor profiles of the coffee grown there. The finest coffees are found at 1200 to slightly more than 1800 meters above sea level. At these higher elevations, coffee matures more slowly in the thin air, resulting in diminished yields and smaller beans. Yet Costa Rican coffee farmers consider this a small price to pay for the big flavor profiles that their high-grown coffees offer.
Region: Tarrazu, Costa Rica
Grower: small plantation owners
Altitude: 1200 - 1800 masl (meters above sea level)
Variety: Typica, Caturra, Catuai
Harvest: December – February
Process: Wet-processed and drum-dried
