La Liles SL28

Origin

• 🇨🇷 Costa Rica· Central Valley
• 🇰🇪 Kenya

Tasting notes

Character

• Experimental
  70
• Bright
  55
• Funky
  40
• Clean
  20

Finca Calle Liles is owned by third-generation coffee producers Oscar Chacón and Francisca Chacón , the minds behind the renowned Las Lajas . Their work is rooted in quality and constant exploration, and they were among the first in Costa Rica to pioneer HoneyHoney processThe skin is removed but some sticky fruit mucilage is left on during drying. Lands between washed and natural: more sweetness and body than washed, cleaner than natural. and Natural processNatural processThe whole cherry is dried with the fruit still on the seed. Gives heavier body and big fruit flavors — think berries and wine — sometimes with a fermenty edge. coffees. In 2005, after years of delivering cherries to a cooperative at market price, they chose a different path. Joining the emerging micromill movement, they invested in their own depulper to take control of both quality and value. “At first, we didn’t know what we were doing,” Oscar recalls. “We were just experimenting.” That spirit of experimentation led to some of the most expressive profiles we’ve encountered. Today, the Chacóns produce a wide spectrum of Honey process coffees, carefully adjusting drying times to shape distinct sensory outcomes in the cup. This particular lot follows Las Lajas’s Black Diamond Natural process. While still a Natural, it undergoes an extended drying period of 15 to 22 days. After harvest, only cherries with high Brix levels are selected. They are then moved to greenhouse patios, where the process begins with a thick layer to encourage aerobic fermentation during the first week. Afterward, the cherries are spread into thin layers to complete a slow, controlled dehydration. This lot is composed entirely of the SL28SL28A Kenyan variety selected in the 1930s by Scott Agricultural Laboratories, prized for intense blackcurrant acidity and deep sweetness. varietyVariety (cultivar)The botanical subtype of the coffee plant — Gesha, Bourbon, SL28 — analogous to grape varieties in wine. A major driver of cup character alongside origin and process., celebrated for its clarity and vibrant acidityAcidityThe bright, lively, fruit-like sensation in coffee — praise, not a flaw. Citric sparkle, malic apple-crispness, tartaric wine notes; light roasts preserve more of it.. We selected it not only for its cup profile, but also for its heritage—SL28 played a key role in defining the identity of Kenya coffees. Today, its presence is fading due to its susceptibility to leaf rust. Through this variety, the producer’s precision, and our roasting approach, this coffee led us to win one of the most demanding competitions: the “2006 Limited Edition” filter category at the Helsinki Coffee Festival 2026 this April. We recommend letting the coffee rest briefly after brewing. As it cools, the bodyBodyThe weight and texture of coffee in the mouth, from tea-like and delicate to syrupy and heavy. Driven by process, roast, variety, and brew method. settles and deeper, more layered flavours begin to unfold. This is not a