Costa Rica
León Cortés
Hermes Mena Bonilla
La Paila
Catigua
Honey
2025 - 2026
Almond, Brown Sugar, Cacao Nibs, Caramel, Cherry, Citrus Fruit, Creamy, Dark Chocolate, Grape, Juicy, Lemon, Mandarin Orange, Orange, Red Fruit, Roasted Hazelnut, Vanilla
1800 meters
N/A
46 Kg
USA - Oakland, CA - Annex - CTI
Hermes Mena Bonilla, known as Don Hermes, has been a coffee farmer all his life, following in the footsteps of his father. His farm, La Paila, is in the Los Santos region, within the micro-region of San Francisco de León Cortés, Costa Rica.
Six years ago, at the age of 59, Don Hermes decided to begin processing his own coffee. His goal was to become less dependent on the local cooperative and add value to his production by processing a portion of his coffee himself. He started with a traditional chancador donated by INDER (Costa Rica’s Institute for Rural Development), allowing him to process his own coffee on the farm.
Today, Don Hermes continues to manage the farm and its small-scale coffee processing operation. Approximately 40–50 fanegas are processed each harvest, with the coffee dried naturally in the sun, either in a greenhouse or on African raised beds. The process remains intentionally small and artisanal, allowing Don Hermes to maintain close control over his coffee from cherry to dried parchment.
This lot from La Paila Farm underwent Honey processing. The coffee is depulped using a traditional chancador, with no mucilage detached from the parchment. The coffee is then sun-dried for two days as a pre-drying stage on a ceramic floor. Afterwards, it is transferred to raised beds, where it continues drying for approximately 10 days at temperatures ranging from 28°C to 40°C. The coffee then undergoes final mechanical drying in a Guardiola dryer for one day.
León Cortés is a canton located in the province of San José, Costa Rica, and forms part of the renowned Zona de Los Santos, together with the neighboring cantons of Tarrazú and Dota. Located in the mountainous region south of San José, León Cortés is known for its high-elevation coffee farms and long-standing coffee-growing tradition.
The area experiences two distinct seasons, with a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. This seasonal pattern, combined with the region’s elevation and mild climate, creates favorable conditions for coffee cultivation, allowing for gradual and uniform cherry development and ripening.
The landscape is characterized by steep, rolling hillsides and fertile volcanic soils, with coffee farms often integrated into a diverse agricultural environment. Many smallholder producers grow coffee alongside bananas, avocados, citrus, and other crops, with farms and agricultural knowledge frequently passed down through generations.
Coffee production in León Cortés is deeply connected to the region’s farming communities and family traditions. Producers maintain a close relationship with the land, incorporating shade trees, preserving native vegetation, and protecting the natural springs and water sources that flow through the surrounding mountains. This combination of elevation, climate, fertile soils, and a strong coffee-growing heritage contributes to the distinctive character of coffees from León Cortés.
If you want to learn more about the new division of Costa Rica’s coffee regions, check out our Instagram post.
