Tasting Notes: Raspberry, Lemon, Brown Sugar
Region: Santa Maria de Dota, Tarrazu
Growing Elevation: 1,900 masl
Producer: Solis Family
Variety: Catuai
Process: Natural
We sourced this offering from our longtime partners at Falcon Coffees. It stood out to us immediately on the cupping table, impressing us with it's vibrant, fruit-forward flavors. The fragrance is intense, providing notes of fresh citrus fruits. The first sip shows the pointed lemon acidity right off the bat, mellowing out into notes of red fruit and dark sugars. Overall, the cup is complex, bright, and well balanced.
Alto el Vapor is a micro-mill in the rural area of Santa María de Dota owned and operated by Mayra Solis, along with her son and two daughters. The name, meaning high vapor, was inspired by the phenomenon of fog settling at high elevations, as the overall altitude of the farm reaches up to 2,000 meters.
Led by Doña Mayra, this project began in March 2020 during the COVID pandemic, focusing on producing high-quality coffee and providing an unforgettable experience to all consumers. The project started when her children, who had graduated from university and returned home, decided to join their mother Mayra's dream. This is a family that always strives to add value to coffee through processing, learning cupping directly, roasting, and constantly considering ways to continuously improve quality.
The coffee itself is grown on the Alto el Vapor farm, of which 90% is a natural conservation area. There is also a spring within the farm that supplies water to part of the Santa María de Dota community. The family mostly protects rather than destroys the farm, preserving the habitat for surrounding flora and fauna.
