4 - La Esmeralda - Costa Rica 2024 (Dry)

#4 La Esmeralda
Ivan Daniel Gutierrez Ureña
The story behind this coffee begins 40 years ago when my father started his career as a coffee grower. He had always been connected to our golden bean, either by picking coffee or helping his father with the daily chores related to this crop.
In 2014, we acquired La Esmeralda Farm thanks to a significant family sacrifice. Initially, we prioritized the production of avocados and other fruits native to the area. As we ventured into agriculture, we came to appreciate the land's virtues and its excellent qualities for farming.
With some knowledge of coffee cultivation, we decided to start with a small field. The first question and challenge were to decide which variety would adapt best to the high altitude. We planted a few of each variety and, after two years of observing the results, we chose to keep Geisha, SL28, and Costa Rica 95.
Growing coffee at this altitude is a great challenge that tests the patience and perseverance of farmers. Over the past five years, we have spared no effort in our quest to produce one of the best coffees in the world.
Our next big challenge was processing. Although my father had some experience, it required learning a new skill. We visited established micro-millers in the area to seek advice and learn about different coffee processing methods. In 2019, we began constructing a facility for processing coffee, opting for a honey drying process. We look forward to exploring new processing methods next year.
We know we still have many challenges ahead, but we will continue moving forward with the conviction of producing high-quality coffee in a sustainable way that respects our environment and society.