Costa Rica is a small coffee-producing country with a big reputation for quality and innovation. One of the country's defining features is its micromill culture: small, often family-run mills that allow producers to separate coffees by farm, variety and processing method, giving them much greater control over quality and traceability.

This month's coffees come from two Central Valley micromills and show two very different approaches to processing.

Plum Pearls from Las Lajas, Mariana variety, Black Honey processed comes from the Chacón family's Finca La Mirella. Las Lajas was among the early Costa Rican producers experimenting with Honey and Natural processing, developing its own Black Honey method. Mariana is an F1 hybrid variety related to the Starmaya family of hybrids.The Black Honey process leaves all the mucilage on the parchment during slow drying. The result is a sweet and rounded cup with notes of nougat, raspberry and plum.

Autumn Apple from Brumas del Zurqui, Caturra variety and Natural processed comes from fourth-generation producers Juan Ramón and his family. Their micromill in Heredia has been experimenting with processing and quality since the early 2000s. This natural Caturra is dried in the whole cherry for around 30 days, creating a much fruitier expression with notes of baked apple, red wine and hibiscus.

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