Costa Rica El Conquistador

This Costa Rica is grown in the Dota micro-region of Tarrazu, which is a particularly high altitude region within the reputable Tarrazu. The La Minita farm oversees the quality and processing of this bean, puts its seal of approval on it, and exports it to the US. It’s a smaller bean size than some (15 screen size) and showcases a cocoa flavor, and a fuller body. This is at least partly due to processing techniques. The estate does all of the processing on site which gives them more control -- as opposed to taking it to a community mill. Their longer drying and washing times gives it the body, the high altitude gives it complexity and keeps the acidity at bay. The attributes are all “just right” making it a well-balanced coffee, which simply means, it has SOME brightness, SOME body, and SOME complexity, none of which are overpowering. It is not a particularly complex or interesting coffee, but one which no one would dislike. It's a nice coffee for a gathering.

We've been carrying this coffee for eight years now, and it's getting to have quite a following with our customers. It has a slight peanut butter nuttiness, lots of sweetness, somewhat creamy, clean aftertaste, overall balanced. Not quite as complex as a microlot, but a really nice coffee for the price. Most commercial / semi-commercial roasters I’m acquainted with sell Costa Rica on the darker side of roasts with at least a spotty oil on the beans. I am not a fan of roasting Costa Rica dark, but this one handles it better than most.

US Arrival: June 2021