Juanachute (Costa Rica)

Blood Orange, Strawberry Candy, Plum & Floral

Origin Costa Rica
Region Los Santos, Tarrazú
Producer Luis Anastasio Castro
Variety Centroamericano and San Isidro
Elevation 1,600 masl
Processing Natural

In Costa Rica’s famed Tarrazú region, the Juanachute Micromill is operated by Luis Anastasio Castro, better known as “Tacho,” and his family. Tacho was an early adopter of Costa Rica’s micromill model, helping pioneer an approach that gives producers greater control over their coffee from planting and harvest through processing and preparation for export.

Coffee remains very much a family endeavor. The Castros operate several plots throughout Los Santos, a mill near the town of San Pablo and a small local roastery and coffee shop. Tacho’s son, also named Luis Anastasio, helped establish a barista education program at the local high school and has competed in Costa Rica’s Barista Championship using coffee from Juanachute.

This lot combines Centroamericano, an F1 hybrid, with San Isidro, a naturally occurring mutation first identified in Costa Rica. Grown at 1,600 meters, ripe cherries are selectively harvested and sorted before being dried whole. Careful management throughout the natural process allows the fruit to influence the coffee as it dries while maintaining clarity and structure in the finished cup.

Juanachute is juicy and expressive, balancing the ripe fruit character of a natural process with bright acidity and a delicate floral quality. Blood orange brings a vivid citrus character, while strawberry candy and plum give the cup a sweet fruitiness. A floral note keeps the profile feeling lively. The result is a colorful, fruit-forward Costa Rican coffee with both sweetness and definition.