Costa Rica Hacienda La Luisa

Region: Sarchi, West Valley Altitude: 1450-1800 m.a.s.l. Variety: Villa Sarchi Processing: Washed

UK Arrival: July 2026

Tasting Notes: Smooth butterscotch and floral honey sweetness lead the cup, backed up with notes of yellow stone fruit and milk chocolate. Finishing with an almost buttery, pastry-like quality.

This smooth and sweet Villa Sarchi is one half of a pair of Costa Rican coffees we have selected from this season's harvest. This lot was processed as a washed and its counterpart from El Refugio as a natural, highlighting the spread of flavours Costa Rican cultivar Villa Sarchi can express. Same country, same cultivar, but through careful processing two very different results in the cup. 

 

Hacienda La Luisa

Hacienda La Luisa holds 223 hectares of land high up on the hillsides of the West Valley, overlooking the towns of Los Angeles, La Luisa, Pueblo Nuevo and Sarchi. It takes great care of the settlements water sources and environment while also providing jobs for many locals.

Hacienda La Luisa produces around 1,300 bags of coffee each year, with approximately 35% of the production sold into the specialty coffee market. While coffee is the farm’s main focus, sugar cane is also grown on the property. The average age of the coffee trees is around 27 years old. To maintain healthy production, the farm carries out annual pruning using a 1x3 row cycle over a six-year rotation. Several coffee varieties are grown on the farm, including Villa Sarchi, SL28, Catuai, Caturra, Costa Rica 95, Marsellesa, Sarchimor, and San Isidro. These varieties were selected for their productivity, disease resistance, climate adaptability, and cup quality. Sustainability is also an important part of Hacienda La Luisa’s approach. Around 55% of the property is protected as primary forest and private reserve. The farm maintains programs for native tree reforestation, water conservation, and the protection of local wildlife, helping preserve the area’s natural biodiversity. Beyond coffee production, Hacienda La Luisa is also involved in supporting the local community. Together with Beneficio La Eva, the farm maintains a soccer field and recreational facilities where children and families from the area can gather and participate in healthy activities.

Villa Sarchi

Villa Sarchi is a distinctly Costa Rican coffee cultivar with a unique history. Like Caturra and Pacas, Villa Sarchi is a natural mutation of Bourbon caused by a single-gene mutation known as “Dwarf/Compactism,” which results in a smaller, more compact plant. First discovered in Costa Rica in the 1950/60s in the province of Alajuela near the town of Sarchi, the variety has since undergone careful pedigree selection to improve quality and consistency. Villa Sarchi is particularly well adapted to high-altitude environments and strong winds, though it remains relatively rare outside Costa Rica.

Washed processing

After being carefully hand-picked at peak ripeness, the coffee cherries from Hacienda La Luisa are sorted by hand to remove any defects before processing begins. Harvest takes place in three stages throughout the season: early, midseason, and late harvests, with additional sorting used to ensure only the ripest cherries are selected. The coffee is then transported 9 km to Beneficio La Eva S.A., where it is processed using an ecopulping system that uses significantly less water than traditional methods. The cherries are pulped and mechanically washed using a vertical demucilager called a “delva” without any fermentation. After washing, the coffee is pre-dried in vertical dryers for 10 to 12 hours before moving to Guardiola dryers for final drying. Throughout the process, careful temperature and moisture control helps maintain quality and consistency. The minimal fermentation helps the natural characteristics of the Villa Sarchi shine leading to a very clean cup profile.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s history is inextricably linked to coffee production: in fact, on the eve of the

Sourced from the Sarchi region of the West Valley, Costa Rica Hacienda La Luisa represents a focused expression of the Villa Sarchi varietal. Cultivated by the team at Hacienda La Luisa at elevations between 1450 and 1800 masl, this lot undergoes a washed process, a method typically employed to highlight the inherent clarity and acidity of the bean. Roasted by Steampunk Coffee, the profile balances a rich, pastry-like mouthfeel with delicate sweetness.

When evaluating such coffees, enthusiasts often look to the flavor wheel to categorize the interplay between deep, confectionary notes like milk chocolate and butterscotch and the brighter, fruit-forward characteristics found in high-grown Central American lots. While washed coffees are generally celebrated for their clean finish and consistent expression of terroir, the specific combination of the Villa Sarchi cultivar and the West Valley climate provides a distinct foundation for these nuanced, honeyed flavors.