The coffee has a pleasing intensity. Sweet qualities: dates, dark grape. The finish is excellent, filling the mouth with a smooth spicy aftertaste. The coffee is complex with strong bottom structure, chocolate, malt, and a rapidly emerging mid-range of honey, dates, almost grape. The dry fragrance was predominate of apricot, sweet earth. Highly recommended... amazing at all roast levels. The Costa Rica SHB Tarrazu “La Pastora” coffees are rated some of the finest in the world. These beans are grown at high altitudes, above 1200 – 1800 m allowing them to be designated Single Hard Bean – the highest classification in the Costa Rican system. The soil is mostly volcanic and gives the beans a high acidity. Coopetarrazu is a driving force in the community. Besides being the largest employer in the region, it is constantly training its associates in the latest techniques to improve quality and production. Its workers are protected by an occupational safety program supervised by INS, the Costa Rican insurance company. Recycling and education programs have been introduced in the community by the cooperative's staff and thousands of dollars are donated every year to worthy programs in the region. Though not as renown as other coffee such a Kona or Jamaica, the quality of Tarrazu is quickly being recognized by coffee connoisseurs. Tarrazu coffee is growing through word of mouth and through coffee aficianados rather than by marketing, making its stage on the world market slow but steady. The Tarrazu coffee region of Costa Rica won’t be kept a secret for much longer. Costa Rican coffee beans are graded by the hardness of the bean. This is determined by the altitude at which they are grown: - (SHB) strictly hard bean is a coffee grown above 3,900 feet. - (GHB) good hard bean grow at 3,300 to 3,900 feet. - (MHB) medium hard bean grown at 1,600 to 3,300 feet. Roast: Full City: We think this coffee has best balance of fruit and chocolate at FC roast.