What is Las Lajas Black Soul? What are the Flavor Notes of Costa Rica's Black Soul Coffee?

Las Lajas Estate: Costa Rica's Premium Coffee Pioneer

Among the refined natural and honey processing methods popular in Costa Rica today, Las Lajas Estate was one of the first estates to research and implement them systematically. For many years it has been a coffee estate beloved by buyers around the world. Las Lajas is currently managed by third-generation owner Francisca Cubillo and her husband Oscar. The estate sits in the Central Valley region, not far from the capital and very close to the Poas Volcano. At an altitude between 1,250 and 1,500 meters, it produces approximately 55,200 kilograms a year.

Innovation in Coffee Processing

Years ago, owner Francisca had always hoped to push the estate's coffee flavor further. At that time the vast majority of Costa Rican farmers used traditional washed processing to supply the American and European markets. So she began researching and adapting much of the estate's equipment and facilities to better suit natural and honey processing. During harvest, she uses a BRIX meter to screen cherries that meet the standard, and the estate built its own washing station for processing before finally laying the coffee out on African beds for sun drying.

Differentiated Honey Processing

Among the coffees processed at Las Lajas, the owners have divided the honey-processed and natural lots into different grades based on flavor. For honey processing, most Costa Rican farmers control the amount of retained pulp through the depulpers at washing stations. Las Lajas decided on another approach: retaining 100% of the pulp but controlling the drying time and the turning frequency on the African beds to present different flavor expressions. In honey processing, the estate divides coffee into yellow honey, red honey and black honey categories.

Black Soul

The harvested cherries are placed on African beds in the early morning, turned regularly for sun drying throughout the day, then covered with plastic tarps to rest in shade until they reach 11.5% moisture content. The whole process takes approximately three weeks.

Organic Certification and Sustainable Practices

As for fertilization, the owner strictly requires all processes to follow organic standards for cultivation and fertilizing. The whole estate uses homemade organic compost, and the organic standard extends to soil quality, shade trees and washing station procedures. After years of effort, Las Lajas has now obtained organic certifications from Japan's JAS, America's USDA and NOP.

The Perfect Coffee Experience

"Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love." That is the concise note on perfect coffee left by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, a diplomat during the French Revolution, sharp, shocking and impressive.

A typical coffee might have deep body, light sweetness or clean water-like clarity, but finding one that combines all three is genuinely rare on the market.

Costa Rica's Las Lajas Black Soul gives a heavy taste on the first sip, yet turns clean and refreshing after swallowing, with a honey-like aftertaste. We may never know what coffee that French gentleman was drinking when he offered such praise, but it was probably very similar to this cup of Black Soul.

FrontStreet Coffee suggests using a V60 dripper to brew this coffee.

Hand Brew Technique Recommendations:

V60 dripper, medium-fine grind, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, water temperature 89-91C

Other Brewing Recommendations:

French Press: medium grind, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, water temperature 89-91C

Siphon: medium-fine grind, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, water temperature 90-91C

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If Black Soul's black honey processing appeals to you, FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica Blackberry is a close cousin worth trying. It uses a distinctive black honey process that leaves almost no pectin removed, so drying takes longer, at least two weeks, with covers used to keep strong sunlight from drying the fruit too fast and to ensure the sugars convert fully.

Because the lot spends so much time turning and drying, FrontStreet Coffee roasts it to a medium-light level. Ground, it releases an intense floral fragrance, and in the cup it shows grape, berry and ripe blackberry notes.

For a different take on honey processing, FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica Mozart uses a raisin honey method that dries the cherries on raised beds for at least three days before the skin and pulp are removed, retaining 100% of the pectin. It works in pour-over, cold brew or a Moka Pot and delivers distinct osmanthus, pineapple and raisin aromas.