A Visit to Hacienda Sonora – Costa Rica’s Coffee Gem

After hearing so many good stories about the Sonora farm and the country of Costa Rica in general, I finally had the chance to fly over with my family.

We travelled across the country and were absolutely mesmerized by its natural beauty and the warmth of its people.

On our last day, we passed by the legendary Hacienda Sonora and the Parque Nacional Volcán Poás — two icons in their own right.

There are plenty of reasons why this farm holds such importance for Caffenation and our clients. When we first bought a naturally processed lot from Sonora back in 2015, it raised quite a few eyebrows. For many roasters at the time, it was difficult to understand why we were so drawn to the sweet, funky, fermented profiles. But we were convinced, and we stayed the course. This year marks our sixth purchase from Sonora — and yes, always naturally processed.

The man who built this farm into what it is today — and who is now gradually stepping back — is Alberto.

He recognized early on that natural processing gave his coffee a unique character that other Costa Rican farms couldn’t match. It must have taken courage to go against the grain, but he was right. In 2025, natural coffees are everywhere — and often even more popular than their washed counterparts.

Alberto inherited the land from his father and grandfather. The latter started the farm nearly 100 years ago with a sugar cane factory. You can still find remnants of that time around Sonora: old, rusting machinery standing as relics of a bygone era.

Today, the farm produces an impressive 250 tons of coffee per year — 95% of which is naturally processed. While the most common variety grown is Caturra, at Caffenation we’re especially fond of their Villa Sarchí lots. These are a bit more balanced, making them perfect for both espresso and filter roast profiles.

But it doesn’t stop there. Sonora is a hub for innovation. They’re constantly experimenting with new processing techniques and coffee varieties. I saw fields full of obscure and exciting names: Obata Amarillo, Milenio, Casiopea, Excellencia, H3, and many more. Visiting during harvest season, when these coffees are ready to cup, would be an absolute dream.

I was honestly surprised to learn the farm sits at just around 1,000 meters above sea level — relatively low for specialty coffee. But with warm days, cold nights, and rich volcanic soil, the terroir here delivers exceptional quality.

Today, Alberto's son Diego is leading the Hacienda. As it was off-season during our visit, he was away on business — working with the German coffee giant Neumann — but that didn’t take away from our experience. The Guardia family embodies the Costa Rican lifestyle, living fully by the national slogan “Pura Vida.” It was an eye-opener. In Costa Rica, people truly understand that life is not only about money — their commitment to preserving nature and supporting their communities is something more countries could learn from.

On the same day we visited, we also began roasting this year’s Hacienda Sonora lot. It will be on the shelves at all our bars any day now — and of course, available online as well.

Enjoy it while it’s fresh — and savour the craftsmanship displayed in every cup of Sonora.