Costa Rica Alfonso كوستاريكا الفونسو

Farm: Aquiares Estate

Varietal: Mariana

Processing: Natural

Altitude: 1,200 to 1,400 meters above sea level

Owner: Don Alfonso Robelo

Town / City: Aquiares

Region: Turrialba

Country: Costa Rica

Story Behind The Coffee

Aquiares Estate is one of Costa Rica's oldest and largest coffee farms, producing coffee continuously since 1890 on the fertile slopes of the Turrialba Volcano. Covering 924 hectares, with around 80% planted under shade-grown Arabica, the estate combines more than a century of coffee-growing experience with a strong commitment to innovation, sustainability and community development. This lot is produced exclusively from Mariana, a rare F1 hybrid developed by crossing IAPAR 59, itself derived from Timor Hybrid and Villa Sarchi, with heirloom Ethiopian genetics. One of Mariana's unique characteristics is that it can be propagated from true hand-pollinated seed while retaining the advantages of an F1 hybrid, including high vigour, early ripening, natural resistance to coffee leaf rust and excellent cup quality. Grown between 1,200 and 1,400 meters above sea level, the variety thrives in Aquiares' fertile volcanic soils and cool mountain climate. Like all coffees from the estate, it benefits from meticulous plant-by-plant management, ongoing varietal research and complete traceability from nursery to export.

Only fully ripe cherries are harvested, with all floaters removed before processing to  ensure optimum quality. This lot is processed using the Natural method, where the cherries are dried intact without removing the fruit. Following harvest, the cherries undergo two days of pre-drying on ceramic patios before being transferred to African raised beds for approximately 10 days, drying slowly at temperatures between 28–45°C. The coffee is then finished with one day of controlled mechanical drying in a Guardiola dryer, preserving clarity while enhancing sweetness, body and fruit complexity.