Kaizen - Costa Rica Sonora SL28 Natural Filter 250 g

Whole-bean specialty coffee from Costa Rica, roasted by Kaizen. Light roast, perfect for filter coffee machines, drippers, Chemex, AeroPress, French Press, and other pour-over brewing methods. In the cup, you can expect the hints of raspberry, melon and black tea.

Country: Costa Rica

Region: Central Valley

Varietal: SL28

Farm: Hacienda Sonora

Processing: Natural

Altitude: 1300 m a.s.l.

ABOUT THE PLANTATION

Hacienda Sonora is one of the most iconic coffee farms in Costa Rica and an absolute legend in the specialty coffee world. Located in the Central Valley, it has been in the hands of the Guardia family for over a hundred years. When Alberto Guardia took over the farm in the 1970s, he focused on coffee as the main source of income and began a transformation that forever changed its character.

A pivotal moment came in 1999 — during the price crisis, Alberto decided to invest in his own mill and alternative processing methods like natural and honey. That’s when Hacienda Sonora became a pioneer of quality in a country historically known almost exclusively for washed processing.

Today, the farm is co-managed by Alberto’s son, Diego Guardia, who blends family traditions with a modern approach to quality, experimentation, and selection. Over 80 hectares are dedicated to more than 20 botanical varieties, each treated as a unique project.

ABOUT THE COFFEE

This exceptional batch is SL28 — a legendary variety known for its incredible purity and elegance, especially in Kenya, but under Hacienda Sonora’s conditions, it achieves extraordinary clarity and finesse. Grown at an altitude of about 1300 meters above sea level, it offers a cup full of juiciness, delicate structure, and refined sweetness.

The natural processing was carried out with great precision: selectively picked cherries are first separated by floatation, then dried whole on black tarps for about 12 days, with full control over airflow and humidity. After the initial drying, the coffee matures, undergoes final drying at low temperatures (up to 35°C), and then rests for two months before being hulled and hand-sorted.

In the cup, the coffee is light, juicy, and incredibly clean for a natural – with dominant notes of raspberry and ripe melon, complemented by a delicate, tea-like tannin of black tea. The finish is long, elegant, and sweet, with no heaviness or excessive fermentation. This is a natural in the Hacienda Sonora style: precise, harmonious, and incredibly drinkable.

We always roast the coffee fresh, so when it arrives to you, it’s just a few days old. In some cases, we extend the processing time to 3 business days due to our roasting schedule at Kaizen Coffee.