SL28 - Costa Rica - Hacienda Sonora

This is one of the most interesting SL28 lots we’ve got this year.

SL28 is already a variety we love for its distinctive cup character, but this particular lot really stood out to us for the way its natural process brings out the variety’s potential. The coffee combines vibrant fruit character with remarkable clarity and complexity, offering a profile that is both expressive and surprisingly refined.

The Natural Pyramid processing adds another layer of interest. Rather than simply pushing the coffee towards heavy, fermented fruit flavours, the carefully controlled drying process allows the SL28’s inherent character to remain at the centre, while adding layers of tropical fruit, sweetness and complexity.

It is a coffee that feels both familiar and unexpected: recognisably SL28, yet presented in a way that gives the variety a completely different dimension.

Process

Natural Pyramid

In the cup

Tropical fruits, black tea, blackberry

Roast level

Light roast

Suitable for

Filter coffee or espresso

Cupping score

88

Harvest

2026

Background

Hacienda Sonora Estate has been in Alberto’s family for more than a century. When Alberto took over the farm in the 1970s, he began planting much of the land with coffee, which soon became the farm’s primary source of income.

In 1999, during a period of historically low coffee prices, Alberto invested in his own mill to gain greater control over quality. This gave the family the freedom to experiment with different processing methods, including Honey and Natural processes, while exploring how different coffee varieties could express themselves in the cup.

In 2011, Alberto’s son, Diego, joined the operation as co manager.

Today, Hacienda Sonora grows more than 20 coffee varieties across 80 hectares, alongside a further 20 hectares of protected forest reserve. The farm has become known within the specialty coffee community for its focus on varietal diversity, processing innovation and consistently high quality.

SL28 is one of the varieties grown at the estate. Originally selected in Kenya, it is renowned for its exceptional cup quality and distinctive fruit character. At Hacienda Sonora, the variety is given a different expression through their carefully developed natural processing methods, resulting in a coffee that showcases both the character of SL28 and the unique identity of the farm.