Lica Torres - Black Cherry

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MEET THE PRODUCER | Nestled at the foot of Chirripo Volcano, the 3-hectare farm owned by Lica Torres and his family is one of only a few such courageous endeavors in Brunca, the southernmost growing region in Costa Rica. Conditions there aren't exactly idyllic: the soil is rocky, the incline steep, and the weather is often either a little too hot or a little too cold to grow any particular crop with tremendous success. Lica's father initially planted pine trees on the farm, but farming wood is a slow-going process that doesn't yield dividends very quickly. Enter: Lica's big idea.

Four years ago, Lica began to notice other families in the area growing coffee with some success, and he had just been introduced to a new, experimental hybrid variety which was being planted at lower elevations in Brunca. That new variety is called Milenio, and it is a hybrid originating from a cross between rust-resistant T5296 and the much-loved Ethiopian landrace Sudan Rume. Milenio was developed to be a disease-resistant crop which also yielded high cup quality - two virtues you don't often find in the same crop. Even though it was originally intended to be planted in lower-elevation areas due to its ability to resist Roya (Leaf Rust), Lica decided to take a big risk and plant Milenio trees on his farm, which sits at 1500 masl. The result looked promising even after the first year, but now we can say with all confidence that Lica's hunch was a massive success! This region, this new variety, and this lot in particular stirs up so much excitement in us for the future of specialty coffee in Costa Rica.

TRUST THE PROCESS | Black Cherry is a process coined by the Torres family and controlled meticulously at the Cerro Buena Vista Wet Mill. As with any "normal" natural processing method, ripe coffee cherries are collected by hand and taken to the mill - but Lica allows these cherries to linger on the plant a little past "peak ripeness" and the cherries start to take on a darker hue as a result. At the wet mill, they are placed in propylene bags for about 24 hours before being spread out on raised beds to begin drying. Once the parchment approaches 15-20% moisture content, the lot is re-collected into plastic bags and placed in storage for about a week, where fermentation continues to occur at a glacial pace. Finally, the cherries are put back out to dry - on concrete beds this time - until the remaining 5-10% humidity points are lost. 

TAKE A SIP | Year after year, Lica Torres produces this consistently distinct cherry flavor profile with his meticulous and mindful processing, and we simply love it so much. Black cherry! Bing cherries! Luxardo cherries! You can find any of them with every sip. More than that, the fruit profile in this cup is a big one, reminding us of Hawaiian punch. Citrus, like orange zest, can also be perceived. Finally, a complex sweetness, like craft dark chocolate, lingers on the palette. The whole experience reminds us of sipping an Old Fashioned, or - perhaps most appropriately - tasting Luxardo for the first time.

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Origin | Rivas, Brunca, Costa Rica

Producer | Don Lica Torres

Farm | Cerro Buena Vista

Process | Black Cherry Anaerobic Natural

Variety |  Milenio

Elevation | 1500 masl