THE COFFEESHOP COSTA RICA / Don Eli Catuai Honey

A complex sweetness with interwoven layers! A honey-processed creation showcasing a creamy, smooth texture.

This recommended Costa Rican coffee perfectly embodies the complex sweetness and lingering aftertaste characteristic of honey processing.

Flavor Profile: Upon tasting, you'll immediately experience the clean sweetness and juiciness of Red Apple. While there are many fruit-forward coffees, what's most striking about this bean is the flavor known as "Malic." Coffees with this characteristic typically have a present but very rounded acidity, dominated by sweetness.

Sweetness Layers: Especially from the mid-palate to the aftertaste, the sweetness, reminiscent of milk caramel, milk chocolate, and brown sugar, is both comforting and rich, a true epitome of honey processing.

Mouthfeel: The rounded sweetness and Creamy texture complement each other, providing an especially comforting sense of satisfaction.

Roast Level: To fully unleash its potential, we've pushed the roast level slightly deeper, setting it in the range of late light roast to early medium roast.

Producer Story: The Montero Family and Don Eli Mill

This lot was personally crafted by Carlos Montero, a descendant of a long-standing family in the Tarrazú region of Costa Rica.

The Montero family is regarded as a visionary, pioneer, and game-changer in the "micro-mill revolution" in Tarrazú, Costa Rica. Carlos grew up in a coffee family and founded the micro-mill Don Eli in 2014, named after his father, with the aim of personally processing coffee cherries and establishing a more direct connection with consumers.

Carlos has played a crucial role in promoting direct trade relationships between local farmers and roasters, constantly strengthening these connections through improved technology and quality.

High-Altitude Region: Jardín Farm

This lot was harvested from Jardín Farm. The farm is adjacent to "Death Peak," a very special area in Tarrazú, located at the highest point of the Talamanca mountain range, which spans Costa Rica and Panama.

Climate and Environment: The elevation here is extremely high, and the climate is cool. 10 to 15 years ago, this area was considered unsuitable for coffee cultivation, but farmers successfully experimented with different varieties.

Key to Quality: Virgin fertile soil, a cold climate, unique lighting conditions, and a slow cherry maturation process all contribute to exceptional cup quality.

Meticulous Processing Method

Upon arrival at the Don Eli mill, the coffee cherries are left to rest in the cool evening.

1. Pulping: Pulping occurs early the next morning, leaving some mucilage on the beans.

2. Raised Bed Drying: The parchment coffee is then spread on Raised Beds covered with protective netting for drying.

3. Careful Management: The coffee beans are turned frequently and meticulously over 20 days until optimal moisture content is reached.