CoffeeEmbassy

Alberto Guardia

Name: Alberto Guardia
Brand: CoffeeEmbassy
Price: 24.00 NZD
Availability: InStock

$24.00 NZD

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Taxes included.

Size 250g

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Alberto Guardia | Costa Rica Honey & Natural Process

Producers – Alberto and Diego Guardia

Farm – Hacienda Sonora

Location – San De Pedro de Paos, Alajuela

Varieties – Red/Yellow Catuai, Venecia, Bourbon, Gesha, Villalobos, Villa Sarchi

Altitude – 1200 - 1300 MASL

Process – Post Blend Honey and Natural Process

Cupping Notes – Mango, Caramel, Peach

Roasted For – Filter

Importer – Langdon Coffee Merchants

Hacienda Sonora, a family-run estate in Costa Rica’s central valley, grows over 20 coffee varieties using sustainable honey and natural methods. Powered by 100% renewable energy, this release is a unique black honey and natural process blend. This complex coffee showcases fruity, winey notes—a testament to the Guardia family’s commitment to quality and innovation.

About

Hacienda Sonora Estate has been in Alberto Guardia’s family for over a century, and its history is deeply rooted in coffee cultivation. When Alberto took over the farm in the 1970s, he made the strategic decision to dedicate most of the land to planting coffee. It soon became their primary source of income, and Alberto's passion for the industry grew. In 2011 Alberto's son Diego became a co‑manager of Hacienda Sonora.

Hacienda Sonora is located in the Central Valley of Costa Rica, 1200 metres above sea level at the foot of the Poas Volcano. The farm’s area is approximately 100 hectares, which is composed of 55 hectares of shaded coffee, 35 hectares of wild forest reserve, and 10 hectares of sugarcane. Growing coffee amongst exotic trees and vegetation improves the already naturally rich volcanic soil and provides great conditions for growing quality coffee.

The family is passionate about growing coffee in a sustainable way; the energy used on the farm, including to power their processing mill, is 100% renewable, harvested within the farm. The green energy is harvested from a natural water stream with a special turbine, known as a Pelton Wheel. They also care deeply about their staff; free housing is provided for each worker and their families at the farm’s houses, along with covering part of their living costs.

This Honey Natural blend represents the culmination of Sonora's diverse varieties and process styles. Carefully selected and processed with exceptional efficiency, this coffee offers a truly special experience, embodying the expertise and dedication of Hacienda Sonora.

The Processing Method and Varieties

All of the coffee grown at Hacienda Sonora is processed using the honey and natural methods, in their on-site micro coffee mill, and the estate boasts an impressive range of over 20 coffee varieties. One exceptional offering is this Honey‑Natural blend, that has been meticulously crafted from a combination of black honey‑processed and naturally processed coffees, comprising a number of interesting varieties.

The black honey process involves drying the coffee with an intact mucilage layer, resulting in a unique creamy‑textured profile. The natural process involves drying coffee inside the cherries, resulting in a fruity, winey flavour in the overall cup profile. Using the honey method saves more than 3 gallons of water per pound of coffee, and natural processed coffee doesn’t need any water–another green initiative the family is proud of.

This Honey Natural Blend is made up of multiple varieties, including well-known names such as Red and Yellow Catuai, Bourbon and Gesha, along with some Costa Rican varieties bred by Instituto del Café de Costa Rica (ICAFE) such as Venecia, Villalobos, and Villa Sarchi.