How to Drink Costa Rica Vila Saraki Coffee? Introduction to Costa Rica Shangri-La Estate

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Costa Rica West Valley Coffee Region

Costa Rica has seven coffee-producing regions, among which Tarrazú, Central Valley, and West Valley are the three most renowned and highest-quality regions. West Valley (Valle Occidental in Spanish) is one of Costa Rica's seven major coffee regions. The harvest period in West Valley runs from November to mid-March of the following year, making it one of the regions with longer harvest seasons. The coffee flavor features fruity aromas with nutty almond notes. Rich volcanic soil, abundant sunlight, an average annual relative humidity of 81%, plentiful rainfall, and a moderate average temperature of 21.5°C create ideal conditions for lush crop growth and the cultivation of high-quality high-altitude coffee.

Shangri-La Estate

Shangri-La Estate is located in Costa Rica's West Valley, approximately 35 kilometers from the capital San José. West Valley is one of Costa Rica's most important coffee regions because the climatic conditions here are exceptionally suitable for coffee cultivation: rich volcanic soil, high altitude, moderate and evenly distributed rainfall, and cool temperatures.

The West Valley region experiences distinct wet and dry seasons. When the coffee harvest season begins, it enters the dry season, which means this region has sufficient sunlight for sun-drying after washing. This advantage is rarely found in other regions of the country (almost all other famous regions in Costa Rica use machine drying). The average cultivation altitude ranges from 1,000 to 1,600 meters, making it Costa Rica's most productive coffee-growing area with the least incidence of leaf rust disease.

West Valley has produced many Cup of Excellence (COE) award-winning estates. Shangri-La Estate is operated by Mr. Carlos Batalla, a woodworking engineer who established the estate in 2008. It is a relatively young farm in the West Valley region, with their first harvest occurring in 2012. Before acquiring this estate, Carlos had never been involved in coffee cultivation, focusing instead on growing his own construction company. Over the past few years, Carlos has found his footing and now focuses on cultivating high-quality coffee, becoming an extremely professional and passionate farmer.

Villa Sarchi Variety

Villa Sarchi is a natural mutation of Bourbon, discovered in the town of Sarchi in Costa Rica's West Valley. It is a naturally mutated variety with branches growing at 45-degree angles and featuring a mix of bronze and light green leaves. Villa Sarchi can be cultivated at both high and low altitudes, but yields better quality and quantity at higher elevations. Villa Sarchi is characterized by elegant acidity, fruity notes, and excellent sweetness.

Shangri-La Estate Terra Bella Villa Sarchi Honey

Country: Costa Rica

Region: West Valley

Altitude: 1,450 meters

Processing Method: Honey Process

Grade: SHB (Strictly Hard Bean)

Variety: Villa Sarchi

Flavor Profile: Dried fruit, peach, persistent sweetness, tobacco

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing with a V60 dripper at 90°C water temperature, using a Fuji grinder setting of 3.5, with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15. Employ a three-stage extraction method, with a total brewing time of approximately two minutes starting from the bloom.