The Las Lajas mill in the Central Valley of Costa Rica is a shining star in quality and innovation. Opening in 2005, owners Oscar and Francisca Chacon did not know much about milling coffee, despite being third-generation coffee producers. It turns out processing coffee is a whole lot different than growing coffee. And so the fun began…

The Chacon’s introduction to coffee processing is a sincere and resilient story. In 2005 they had a lot to learn, and they made a lot of mistakes, which they’re happy to laugh about today. They took every error as a lesson to improve their product and tell a genuinely charming story. Seeing their stunning facility now, it’s hard to imagine that they haven’t always been at the top of their game. Present day, the Las Lajas mill is renowned for producing some of the finest coffees in the world. They receive feedback with enthusiasm, invest in their infrastructure, experiment with their technique, and consult with their farmers to provide us with some of the best coffee we’ve ever tasted.

San Isidro is one of the farms partnered with Las Lajas. The Chacons have unwavering standards for the coffee they accept at their mill. They consult with farmers (most of them relatives) to offer resources and best practices. This particular coffee is a varietal found in Ethiopia, which they were able to cultivate in Costa Rica. In the cup, you’ll notice many of those fruit-forward flavors you find in Ethiopians along with that defining sparkly acidity. When we first tasted this coffee, the explosion of fruit flavors captivated us, presenting strawberry, watermelon, blueberry, pineapple, peach all tied together with a creamy back-note which blended all the flavors together harmoniously.

The clarity of these fruit flavors comes, no doubt, from the careful hand-selection of this coffee, but also its process method. In Red Honey processing, the seed is removed from its ripe cherry, but the jammy fruit residue is not washed away. Rather, the coffee seed dries on patio beds absorbing all the rich flavors of the cherry. After fully drying and resting, the thin layer of parchement is removed from the seed and it’s ready to be sent to us. Here at Six Shooter, we were nervous to roast such a meticulously crafted coffee…what if we mess it up?!?! It turns out, part of the excellence of the San Isidro Red Honey is that it roasts beautifully, and it’s easy to showcase all the defining characteristics of this top-tier coffee.

We humbly present to you our finest offering to date. We hope you enjoy this coffee and share it with the ones you love.