Description
This very fruit-forward & bright Costa Rican natural comes from Finca El Cedral, a 24-acre model farm owned and operated by CoopeDota R.L. in the canton of Dota (región Los Santos). Grown at 6000 feet and above, very high altitude coffee, on volcanic loam soils, this Red Catuaí lot is a clean, sweet, high-elevation natural that shows layered red fruit and citrus over a creamy mouthfeel and the classic Costa Rica undertone of nutty-chocolatey notes. Full natural, sun-dried with support from mechanical dryers as needed. Harvest runs November–March.
Nestled in the highlands of Los Santos (Dota–Tarrazú–León Cortés), CoopeDota was founded in 1960 and today unites ~850 member families. The coop gained global recognition as the world’s first carbon-neutral coffee producer (2011), after investing in water/energy efficiency and using coffee by-products as fuel—initiatives that underpin consistent, traceable microlots from El Cedral and beyond. The El Cedral farm operates as a living lab: training, process trials, and agronomy research are piloted here before being shared across the membership.
Testing Notes: Best served around a medium roast: Clean and fruity cup, with a more floral tone. Light sweetness and medium-medium/full body with a creamy texture. Citrusy start (orange/tangerine, lemon) that integrates with red fruits (strawberry, cherry) and a nuance reminiscent of grapes/wine without becoming heavy; hints of melon appear in the light phases and a cocoa-chocolate base with a slight “nuttiness” at the finish. It is not an aggressively “bright” cup: the profile feels heavier and rounder, with a good balance between fruit and body. Very clean natural, with no alcoholic traits.
Roasting Notes: Easy and even natural, generating a bit more chaff (normal from the process) and yielding over a wide range. In light-light/medium (just past the first crack), the floral and citrus side is accentuated with juicy red fruit (including melon/strawberry), maintaining good cleanliness. In the middle, it achieves its most versatile and balanced flavor: high sweetness, integrated red fruit, and a more pronounced nutty-cocoa background. If you push it toward medium-dark (close to 2° crack without crossing it), you’ll gain a stout-like body and chocolate upfront, with fruit as an accent and lower acidity. Adjust the development depending on whether you’re looking for more brightness (shorter) or intensity/body (longer).
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