Costa Rica’s West Valley is synonymous with honey processing in coffee, and arguably the place where the method first found widespread global recognition. Developed in response to forward-thinking countrywide rules designed to minimise water use at wet mills, the process is based on keeping as much of the coffee fruit mucilage on the seed as possible. Lacking the altitude of the Tarrazú region, the West Valley micro-mills wholly embraced honey processing as a way to innovate, build flavour, and experiment with new techniques in coffee farming.

One standout example is Cerro San Luis Micromill, a family-run business in Grecia, West Valley. The Delgado family, led by siblings Alexander and Magali, own a couple of small farms and a tiny that processes traceable nano-lots of high-quality coffee on hills that run down from the Poas . The family’s dedication to innovation sees them experimenting with diverse cultivars and processing methods to produce some of the region’s finest coffees.