Costa Rica Tarrazu La Candelilla Estate

In San Marcos de Tarrazú, fireflies light the creek beds on summer nights. Locals call them candelillas, and the Sánchez family named their estate after them. We selected this washed lot from one of Costa Rica's most respected coffee districts.

OriginCosta Rica RegionTarrazú, San Marcos Elevation1,500-1,900m ProcessWashed VarietyCaturra, Catuaí The Source

A Family Estate in the Talamanca Highlands

Tarrazú sits in Costa Rica's southwestern highlands, a region built on quality over volume. Rich volcanic soil, dry summers, and steep mountain slopes give the area a reputation as one of the country's finest growing zones. La Candelilla Estate spreads across roughly 80 hectares near the town of San Marcos, with most of that land planted in coffee.

The estate belongs to the Sánchez family, third-generation producers who run it as a group of siblings. Their farm climbs from 1,500 to 1,900 meters, and that high-altitude range matters. Cooler air slows the cherries as they ripen, letting sugars build and acids develop a brighter, more layered character. The family has long worked to keep income and processing close to home rather than handing the crop to outside mills.

The Craft

Micromill Roots and a Clean Washed Cup

In December 2000, the Sánchez family opened La Candelilla Micromill, among the first of its kind in Costa Rica. That move helped pioneer a micromill movement that now defines the country's specialty scene, giving small producers control over how their cherries are pulped, fermented, and dried. Here the cherries are picked ripe, then run through a classic washed process with careful fermentation and water management that protects nearby streams.

Washed processing strips the fruit before drying, so the cup reflects the bean and the place rather than added fermentation character. We roast this lot to City+, a level that holds onto Tarrazú's signature acidity while drawing out the chocolate and nut sweetness underneath. Small batches keep the profile consistent from jar to jar.

Milk Chocolate Orange Honey Almond BodyMedium AcidityBright The Cup

Classic Tarrazú Clarity

The first sip leads with bright orange acidity, clean and lifted, the hallmark of a well-grown Tarrazú coffee. Underneath sits a steady sweetness of milk chocolate and honey, with almond rounding out the finish. The body lands in the medium range, balanced enough for everyday drinking yet detailed enough to reward attention.

As the cup cools, the citrus settles and the chocolate deepens, leaving a smooth, lingering close that stays sweet rather than bitter.

Find Your Fix

This coffee shines through a pour-over like the Chemex or V60, where its clarity and citrus come forward. Drip brewing keeps the chocolate and nut sweetness in balance for a daily cup, and it pulls a clean, juicy espresso as well. Browse our coffee beans and find your fix.

Roasted in small batches at our Virginia Beach roastery.

Packaged in reusable glass mason jars, returned locally for reuse. Solar-roasted.

Virginia Beach, VA