Costa Rica
La Isla, SL28
Terroir Best Lot
QUALITY SCORE: 88.25
Cup Notes
Blackcurrant / Rhubarb / Honey / Tomato / Plum
Suggested for espresso and filter
This is a fantastic washed lot of SL28 from La Isla farm in the West Valley, Costa Rica. Clean, bright, and juicy, it combines delicate honey sweetness with crisp blackcurrant and rhubarb notes.
when we roast
We freshly roast to order all coffees on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (excluding national holidays), and ship the same day! Cut-off time is 11:59pm (UTC+1) of the day before the roast day. *We only ship whole beans*
Details
- Quality Score
- 88.25
- Series
- Terroir Best Lot
- Producer
- Luis Padilla
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Terroir
- West Valley
- Altitude
- 1550 masl
- Process
- Classic Washed - Raised Beds
- Arabica cultivar
- SL28
- Picked in
- January 2023
- Arrived in
- July 2023
- Shipped in
- Jute + GrainPro
- Roast profile by
- Rubens Gardelli
- Roasted on
- Customised solid-drum roaster
Suggested brewing recipe
To help you make the best out of your coffee, Rubens has crafted recipes for brewing this particular lot in filter.
There are two recipes: one for conical brewer (think v60) and one for flat-bottom brewer (think Kalita), however you can surely brew our coffees with any other brewing device, such as immersion brewers.
Please remember that these recipes are intended as starting points and may require further adjustments if the equipment you use is not identical to the one in the recipe; the characteristics of water used can also make a big difference in brewing.
Finally, the recipes suited specifically to Rubens’ roasting style, hence we do not guarantee that they will work as a universal reference.
There are two recipes: one for conical brewer (think v60) and one for flat-bottom brewer (think Kalita), however you can surely brew our coffees with any other brewing device, such as immersion brewers.
Please remember that these recipes are intended as starting points and may require further adjustments if the equipment you use is not identical to the one in the recipe; the characteristics of water used can also make a big difference in brewing.
Finally, the recipes suited specifically to Rubens’ roasting style, hence we do not guarantee that they will work as a universal reference.
Have fun brewing!
V60 STYLE
- Coffee:
- 17g
- Grind:
- Comandante 20 clicks (medium)
- Water:
- 250g (40tds) at 93 Celsius
- Time:
- 2:40
- Brew strenght:
- 1,48 tds
FLATBED
- Coffee:
- 17g
- Grind:
- Comandante 16 clicks (medium)
- Water:
- 250g (40tds) at 93 Celsius
- Time:
- 2:30
- Brew strenght:
- 1,46 tds
THE STORY BEHIND
In the realm of specialty coffee, there is a place that exudes excellence and passion - La Isla. Nestled on the slopes of a majestic mountain with the same name, this farm is owned by Luis Padilla, a visionary who acquired the estate in 2017. Inspired by his grandfather's legacy as a coffee farmer in the renowned Naranjo region, Luis has embarked on a journey to create extraordinary coffee.
Spanning an impressive 10.5 hectares and situated at an elevation of 1500 masl, La Isla features a harmonious combination of coffee varietals that flourish here. Villa Sarchi, Geisha, and SL28 grow abundantly, each carefully separated during the meticulous harvest. Luis has set himself an ambitious goal of complete regeneration of the farm, which means revitalization of all 10.5 hectares.
The remarkable dedication and unwavering commitment of the La Isla team have not gone unnoticed. Their steady pursuit of excellence has earned them due recognition, including two consecutive top-10 placements at the prestigious Cup of Excellence competition. Both times, the farm’s team submitted their meticulously processed SL28 varietal, employing the white honey method, with the result being lots with astonishing scores exceeding 88 points—a testament to the farm's unparalleled quality.
While the coffee we present today may not be from their Cup of Excellence lot, it was processed with the same level of care and attention to detail, employing the classic washed method.
Prepare to embark on a sensory journey like no other as you indulge in the rich flavours and exquisite aromas that define La Isla's exceptional coffees. With every sip, you'll be transported to the fertile haven that Luis Padilla has envisioned—a place where passion, craftsmanship, and the pursuit of perfection converge to create a coffee experience that will captivate the palates of even the most discerning specialty coffee connoisseurs.
THE VARIETY
SL28 was bred by Scott Laboratories in 1931 from Tanganyika D.R. It has become very popular throughout Kenya and is recognised as a variety of exceptional cup quality. It has wide leaves with coppery tips, and the beans are wide. At the same time, the productivity of SL28 is comparatively low. Though there is no sufficient proof, some sources claim that Scott Labs crossed mutations of French Mission, Mocha and Yemen Typica to produce SL 28. Whatever the exact genetic composition, their original goal almost certainly was to create a plant with high quality, reasonable productivity and great drought resistance.
THE FERMENTATION PROCESS
This lot is harvested from SL28 trees. The cherries are picked manually, keeping the different varietals separate. After harvest, the coffee is pulped using a new Penagos DCV-4000 eco-pulper. This is an environmentally friendly dryer that removes the pulp using very little water, thus minimising negative impact on the environment. The Penagos pulper also separates and sorts any underripe coffee - an extra sorting is thereby added to the process. After being depulped, the lot is dried on raised beds for about 15 days.
