Costa Rican Coffee: The Tarrazu Region and the Niksen Blend
TL;DR
Costa Rica has been producing exclusively Arabica since 1989. The Tarrazu region, at an altitude of 1,200-1,900 m, is the most renowned: volcanic soils, high temperature range. Costa Rican coffees are distinguished by a lively acidity, medium body, and notes of citrus and caramel.
Costa Rica is often cited as the perfect example of well-managed specialty coffee: small farms, meticulous processing, legislation favoring quality. The Tarrazu region, south of San José, concentrates some of the country's best productions. At Jockos Coffee, we use a coffee from this region in our Niksen blend, designed for those who appreciate a smooth, mellow coffee.
Costa Rica, a model of quality coffee
Costa Rica has chosen to focus on quality rather than volume. The law even prohibits Robusta cultivation, reserving the entire national production for Arabica. "Micro-beneficios," small independent processing stations, allow producers to control every step of the transformation process.
The result: highly consistent coffees, with well-balanced acidity, clean notes, and a natural sweetness appreciated by both connoisseurs and professionals. Altitudes range between 1,200 and 1,900 meters depending on the region.
The Tarrazu region: altitude and consistency
Tarrazu is Costa Rica's most famous region for coffee. Located in the Talamanca mountain range, between 1,400 and 1,900 meters above sea level, it benefits from an ideal climate: a well-defined dry season for harvesting, abundant rainfall during cherry growth, and rich volcanic soils.
Tarrazu coffees are renowned for their cleanliness: no astringency, no unpleasant bitterness, a clean citrus acidity, and a sweetness reminiscent of honey or white-fleshed fruit.
The Niksen blend: softness as a philosophy
The Niksen blend is our interpretation of Costa Rica Tarrazu coffee, designed for moments of pause. Its name is inspired by the Dutch concept of "niksen," the art of doing nothing to recharge. It's a coffee to prepare when you want to take your time.
The profile is soft, balanced, with notes of white fruits, a touch of honey, and a light hazelnut finish.
Honey processing: the Costa Rica signature
Honey processing is very popular in Costa Rica. Unlike washed processing, the cherries are not completely depulped before drying: part of the mucilage (the sweet pulp) remains attached to the bean, providing additional natural sweetness during drying.
Depending on the amount of mucilage left, it is referred to as yellow, red, or black honey. This processing requires constant monitoring during drying, but it yields coffees with an incomparable natural sweetness.
What is this coffee ideal for?
The Niksen Costa Rica Tarrazu is perfect for daily morning coffee thanks to its sweetness and accessibility. Its consistency also makes it an excellent choice for businesses that want to offer quality coffee without dividing opinions. Discover our corporate coffee offer. Finally, it's the ideal coffee to introduce specialty coffee to people accustomed to industrial coffees.
Sources
[1] International Coffee Organization: World Production Statistics. ico.org
[2] World Coffee Research: Coffee Variety Catalog. varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org
[3] Hoffmann, J.: The World Atlas of Coffee, Mitchell Beazley, 2014.
The Tarrazu from this article is the base of the Niksen blend.