Each year, our holiday coffee begins at origin with a single micro-lot selected specifically for the season.

Rather than creating a traditional holiday blend, we choose one small lot that feels right for this time of year, something bright, expressive, and enjoyable to brew and share. Our holiday coffees typically come from Hacienda La Minita in Costa Rica, a producer known for thoughtful farming and careful processing. Each year, we select a different micro-lot based on what stands out in that season’s harvest.

This year’s holiday coffee comes from Hacienda La Pradera, one of the farms within the Hacienda La Minita group.

What Makes a Holiday Micro-Lot Special?

Micro-lots are small, intentionally separated coffees. They’re often defined by:

• A specific variety planted on a smaller plot within a larger farm
• A particular section of land with unique soil, elevation, or micro-climate
• A processing method chosen to highlight certain flavor characteristics

These lots are produced in limited quantities and processed individually so their flavor can be evaluated on its own. Some micro-lots become part of larger offerings, while others, like our holiday coffee, are set aside because they have a profile that feels especially suited to the season.

How We Choose the Holiday Coffee

Each year, we receive several micro-lot samples from Hacienda La Minita and cup them side by side. Tasting the coffees this way allows us to understand how different varieties, plots, and processing methods express themselves within a single harvest.

From there, we select the lot that feels most fitting for the holidays — one with a bright, fruit-leaning profile, balanced sweetness, and clarity that holds up across brew methods. The goal isn’t to find the most intense coffee, but the one that feels the most enjoyable and shareable this time of year.

This Year’s Selection: Hacienda La Pradera

• Origin: San Gabriel de Aserrí, Costa Rica
• Producer: Hacienda La Minita – La Pradera
• Altitude: 4,700–4,900 masl
• Variety: Pacamara
• Process: Natural
• Roast: Light

Hacienda La Pradera is a 181-hectare coffee farm located in the Los Santos region of Costa Rica at approximately 1,550 meters above sea level. While much of the farm is planted with Caturra, La Pradera has also been cultivating and studying additional varieties since 2012. Each variety is harvested and processed separately, then cupped individually to better understand how variety and processing impact quality and flavor.

This year’s holiday micro-lot features the Pacamara variety, known for its large beans and naturally sweet, aromatic cup profile. The coffee is processed using a full natural method and dried slowly in the sun, allowing the fruit character of the cherry to develop more fully.

In the cup, expect notes of papaya and sweet butterscotch, with gentle tropical fruit sweetness and a smooth, clean finish. It’s fruit-forward without being overwhelming and balanced enough to enjoy across different brew methods.

Why We Roast the Holiday Coffee Light

While our lineup includes a range of roast profiles, our holiday coffee is always roasted light.

For this seasonal release, a light roast allows the natural characteristics of the micro-lot—its fruit notes, sweetness, and structure—to come through clearly. Roasting past light would soften or mask those details, which would take away from what makes this coffee distinct.

A Seasonal Coffee, Meant to Be Shared

This holiday micro-lot is produced in limited quantities and selected specifically for this time of year. Whether you’re brewing it during quiet winter mornings, serving it to guests, or gifting it to someone who appreciates thoughtfully sourced coffee, it’s meant to be enjoyed and shared.

To learn more about the producer behind this coffee, explore our full write-up on Hacienda La Minita. We’ll also be sharing more about our cupping and selection process in an upcoming post.