LA CATARATA HONEY, COSTA RICA - ESPRESSO / DARK FILTER COFFEE

We’re delighted to bring a Costa Rican coffee back to our selection after a long time. This coffee from the Ureña family's Café Rivense bursts with sweet juiciness! In the cup, you’ll find notes of nectarine and ripe cherry, with a creamy toffee-like sweetness. The acidity is gentle and well-balanced with the smooth mouthfeel.
This coffee comes from Café Rivense del Chirripó, a family-owned micromill founded in 2005 by Régulo Ureña and Isabel Rojas in the Chirripó region of southern Costa Rica. Their dedication to quality has been recognized in competitions such as the Cup of Excellence, where they reached 5th place in 2019 with their Vista al Chirripó Caturra Honey lot.

The farm is managed according to sustainable agricultural practices with the aim of reducing environmental impact: shade trees enrich the soil naturally and keep the coffee trees cool, fertilization is based on annual soil testing, herbicides are used only when necessary and in targeted areas. All water sources are protected, and fruit trees are planted across the farm to support local wildlife.

The coffee cherries are hand-picked at full ripeness and pulped using a dry process, meaning no water is used. This helps preserve the mucilage’s purity and sweetness. The coffee is dried on raised beds and in mechanical dryers. All processing, sorting, and packaging is done on the farm, ensuring full traceability and high quality.

Their son Ricardo is a familiar face. He visited Finland years ago, including a smoke sauna experience at Kuusijärvi in Vantaa with our Aleksi. We recently reconnected with Ricardo at the World of Coffee trade show in Copenhagen and decided to bring their coffee into the roastery. We’re glad we did as the coffees are absolutely delicious!

The Chirripó micro-region has quickly established itself on Costa Rica’s specialty coffee map. It lies between two impressive mountain ranges: Cerro de la Muerte and Costa Rica’s highest peak, Cerro Chirripó (3,820 m). The region benefits from high elevations (1,300–2,000 m), nutrient-rich volcanic soil, and cool mountain air, creating a unique microclimate that supports healthy coffee trees and complex flavor development.

In recent years, the region’s potential for specialty coffee has become increasingly evident, driving growth in both production and quality—and there's more to come!