Costa Rica Yellow Honey

The Aguilera Brothers—a group of Cup of Excellence-winning siblings—continue their family’s long-standing coffee tradition on 60 hectares of land first planted by their father in the 1940s. Together, the 12 siblings share responsibilities, with Felipe and Erasmo managing most of the mill operations and drying areas. Their farm grows around 20 different varieties, including Centroamericano, which is widely grown in Costa Rica and prized for its exceptional cup quality, high yields, and resistance to coffee leaf rust. We were lucky enough to visit the Aguilera Brothers in 2016, 2018, and again in 2024. We’re thrilled to have their coffee back once more!

The Aguileras dry their coffee on tarps laid out near a large field below their micromill that also serves as a soccer field for pickers and the local community. Their active involvement in the community and commitment to quality coffee reflect their family spirit, which extends beyond their farms and mill.

This coffee is a Yellow Honey process: cherries are carefully sorted, depulped upon arrival at the mill, and then dried on a covered patio, where they are rotated a few times daily until fully dried. The honey process name—white, yellow, red, or black—is determined by the parchment’s color at the end of drying.  Expect flavor notes of white grape, apricot, honey graham, and toffee, with a crisp acidity and a clean finish.