Farm info

Luis Jiménez Padilla comes from a family with more than three generations of coffee-growing experience in Costa Rica. His grandparents, Raúl and Angela, were both involved in coffee production, and six of their eleven children, including Luis’ mother, María Marta, went on to own coffee farms. Today, Luis represents another generation carrying this family tradition forward while developing his own approach to specialty coffee.

In 2017, Luis and his family acquired La Isla farm and wet mill in Naranjo, the same area where his grandfather purchased his first coffee farm in the 1930s. The 11-hectare property takes its name from the mountain where it is located and from its position between two rivers, giving the area its distinctive “island” character. Located at approximately 1,560 masl, La Isla benefits from fertile volcanic soils and the temperate conditions of Costa Rica’s West Valley. 

The inspiration for La Isla’s micromill grew from the close working relationship between Luis and his mother, María Marta. Their shared experience in another family project led them to invest in their own coffee operation, allowing Luis to take greater control over the production, processing, and development of their coffees. 

La Isla is divided into small plots, with individual coffee varieties cultivated separately. This approach allows Luis to manage each variety according to the characteristics of its plot and to experiment with different combinations of coffees. The farm grows a diverse selection of Arabica varieties, including SL-28, Geisha, Catiguá MG2, Obata, Villa Sarchí, and Anacafé 14, among others.  

Environmental stewardship is central to the family’s approach. The farm protects its water sources and surrounding vegetation, while approximately 1,250 native trees have been planted to provide shade, living fences, and windbreaks. This work has also encouraged greater biodiversity around the farm, with wildlife including toucans, butterflies, bees, and mammals returning to the area.  

La Isla’s wet mill was designed with resource efficiency in mind, combining a Penagos pulper, sorter, and demucilager to minimize water use during processing. Coffee is dried on patios and raised beds rather than mechanical dryers, allowing the family to maintain close control over the drying process while reducing the environmental impact of production. 

This commitment to quality and responsible farming has helped establish La Isla as an emerging specialty coffee producer in Costa Rica. In 2024, the farm placed sixth in the Cup of Excellence Costa Rica competition, further recognizing the family’s work in producing high-quality coffees from Naranjo.

Process description:

For this Catigua lot, La Isla Micromill applies a semi-washed process in which the coffee cherries are depulped while retaining part of the mucilage on the parchment. The coffee is then transferred to raised drying beds, where it dries with the remaining mucilage in contact with the parchment.   

The amount of mucilage retained during processing contributes to the development of sweetness and fruit character while allowing the coffee to maintain clarity and balance. Once the coffee reaches the appropriate moisture content, it is prepared for milling and export.