Luis Monge's farm is named San Isidro and it is located at 4,500 feet above sea level in the San Lorenzo micro-region of the renown Costa Rican coffee-growing region of Tarrazu. This is our second purchase from Luis. Nelson visited with him & his family at the farm in May, 2010, during our Costa Rica sourcing trip. He was received with a farm breakfast (cooked on real wod stove) by his mother Lia, in whose honor the Micro Mill is named. It is a well-tendered farm showing the care and pride of the family that has been growing award-winning coffees for two generations, starting with Luis' father. "And, yeah, the coffe was also awesome, topping a hearty farm breakfast", Nelson says.

We had a special microlot reserved just for us and we had it vacuum-packed at origin. There was no 2010 COE competiton in Costa Rica. The farm produced a National Winner at the 2009 COE competition. We believe this microlot would have been one of the 2010 finalists.

Luis' coffee varietal production is 70% Caturra and 30% Catuai. His coffee is processed at the La Lia de Tarrazu micro-mill with an average annual production of 600 ( 69-kilo) bags. Luis' coffee beans are processed using the wet (washed) method and are dried on the sun on raised wooden tables ("camas africanas"). The micro mill employs 11 regular workers and 50 seasonal coffee collectors.

Neson rated this lot, with a cupping score of 84 points.

Cupping Comments: Pronounced sweetness. Crisp, citrus acidity. Nice, buttery body with long aftertaste. Classical Tarrazu Costa Rican profile. Superb microlot.