Costa Rica Finca Don Jose - Etiope

COUNTRY: Costa Rica
REGION: Tarrazú
FARM: Finca Don Jose
VARIETY: Etiope
PROCESS: Natural
ELEVATION: 1950 M
CUPPING NOTES: Tamarind, Black Cherry, Kiwi

    Finca Don José, part of Brumas del Zurquí and managed by Juan Ramón Alvarado Rodríguez, sits at 1,950 masl in the famed Tarrazú region. Brumas del Zurquí is a family-owned group of farms with four generations of expertise, known for its regenerative agriculture practices, Cup of Excellence wins, and commitment to sustainability. Don José farm, the last property acquired by the family patriarch, represents both the history of the Alvarado family and Costa Rica’s enduring dedication to high-quality coffee.
     Etiope 47 is a variety that was developed in Ethiopia in a seed bank focused on rust resistant varieties. Coffee leaf rust is a disease that can attack the leaves of coffee trees, and over the past decade or two, caused a lot of crop damage. Therefore, efforts were made to develop varieties that were resistant to rust, while exhibiting positive flavor traits. After being successful in Ethiopia, seeds were then brought to Costa Rica where they found an environment of roughly similar elevation. Producer Juan Ramon Alvarado began planting this variety starting 5 years ago; he is expanding its production now because of its excellent flavor profile, paired with it being a very resistant variety that is also very flavorful. The '47' comes from the number of genetic cross attempts it took to get to this final hybrid.
     This lot was prepared using the natural process. Ripe cherries are selectively handpicked and dried in the sun with the fruit intact. This method allows sugars and mucilage to impart sweetness and depth. At Don José, natural coffees are turned frequently to promote uniform drying and to avoid defects. The result is a vibrant coffee with fruit-forward intensity, layered sweetness, and a velvety body, accentuated by the elegance of the Etiope variety.
     This coffee absolutely blew us away when selecting which coffees to bring in from Costa Rica this year.  It has a massive depth of flavor, tons of fruit, red wine, and tropical notes.  If you are looking for an adventure in coffee flavor and are a fan of honey or natural processed coffees this is one you do not want to miss.