Costa Rica Tarrazú Region | La Candelilla Estate Washed Geisha Flavor Profile

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style)

Costa Rica Tarrazú Region | La Candelilla Estate Washed Geisha Flavor

La Candelilla Estate can be called a pioneer among micromills. In 2000, La Candelilla was one of the first to establish washed processing plants in Costa Rica, and since then has focused on growing specialty beans. Their Geisha was once included in Starbucks' Black Apron program. La Candelilla Estate produces only 100,000 kilograms annually, utilizing micro-bean processing facilities to fully preserve the special flavors formed by the estate's microclimate. Their honey processing technique (Miel or Honey coffee) preserves the mucilage layer of coffee seeds, with natural sun-drying throughout the process, allowing the beans to fully absorb the fruit aroma and sugars from the mucilage layer, creating unique coffee sweetness through sunlight. Delicate floral notes accompany rich tea sensations and berry acidity, with a finish revealing chocolate and caramel sweetness.

La Candelilla is family-operated and located in Costa Rica's Tarrazú region. Tarrazú is Costa Rica's largest coffee producing region, with the vast majority of varieties being Caturra and Catuai, while other varieties include Geisha, SL-28, and Typica. The small farms surrounding La Candelilla cover more than 40 hectares, and all coffee post-processing is completed at the washing plant. La Candelilla Estate is a Cup of Excellence award-winning estate in Costa Rica. Geisha is a relatively young variety in the estate, and due to different terroir and microclimate, it produces different Geisha flavors, though equally refined. Rich acidity with a long-lasting finish, featuring distinct almond, plum, citrus, sweet floral, and berry aromas.

In 1900, Victor Mora began developing the coffee plantation. He was also the first person to start growing coffee in the Los Santos area, which is also the location of Costa Rica's first C.O.E. champion, Hacienda La Pabla. That C.O.E. competition was the first national COE competition held in Costa Rica, attracting the attention of specialty merchants worldwide.

The name La Candelilla Estate comes from the many small fireflies found on this coffee farm, easily visible in the evening, hence the name. The farm is located in Tarrazú, in the La Sábana village. Their Geisha variety follows a different path from Panama's La Esmeralda, with different flavors, belonging to a restrained yet full-bodied style, but the aftertaste is typical of high-altitude Geisha!

In 2000, La Candelilla Estate manager Rafael Sánchez and his wife Lucia established their own small washing plant, further improving their estate's quality. Previously, all coffee was sent to large cooperatives in town for processing. They also decided to grow Geisha, and in 2009, the carefully selected batch was only 25 bags. These Geisha are all grown on steep slopes at nearly 1,800 meters altitude.

Tarrazú is one of the most renowned and traditional coffee regions among Costa Rica's eight major coffee producing areas. La Candelilla Estate is situated within it, near the La Sábana village, at an altitude of 1,750 meters. The estate owner has their own micro-processing plant, handling different batches of coffee themselves while ensuring quality control throughout the process. This batch is a specially selected peaberry batch from La Candelilla Estate, belonging to a restrained yet full-bodied style, with rich layered variations and impressive sweetness.

Cupping Notes:

Rich buttery mouthfeel, maple sweetness, bright green apple, cranberry acidity, lively and varied fruit flavors, creamy sweet aroma with sweet spice notes, overall thick and lasting aroma, with a delicate, clean, and rich aftertaste.

Origin Information:

Region: San Marcos de Tarrazu, Tarrazú

Estate/Processing Plant: La Candelilla Estate

Producer: Rafael and Lucia Sánchez

Altitude: 1,750 meters

Variety: Geisha

Processing Method: Washed

FrontStreet Coffee Recommends Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 15g coffee grounds. First pour with 25g water, bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour to 120g, then stop pouring. Wait until the water level drops to half, then slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly express the front, middle, and back end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and faster drainage, stopping the pour can extend the extraction time.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473