Handpicked cherries are passed through a Penagos Ecoline 800 pulper to remove the smallest percentage of mucilage using the least amount of water possible. Coffee is then transferred to raised African beds to dry with mucilage intact on the parchment. Arguably the most demanding way to prepare coffee, honey processing aims to balance the sparkling florals of the washed process with the rich, jammy notes produced by the natural method
Mario Marin is a twentysomething, third-generation producer pushing the boundaries of farming and processing. After leaving his career in business administration at the age of 25, Mario met coffee producers Rebeca Moya and Ricardo Azofeifa (of Cafetalera Origenes) who encouraged Mario to learn about coffee varieties and how to process natural lots. What began for Mario as an experiment to produce two bags of coffee expanded, with the support of family, to 80 bags annually, four varieties and two processes shipped internationally.
Vara Blanca is a first-generation micro mill run by brothers Mario, Misael, and Pablo Marin.
Like many other young farmers in Costa Rica, once these brothers began to experiment and try new processes, they were no longer allowed to continue with their local co-op. In 2017, with the support of their father, they launched their own artisanal mill in Santa Maria de Dota, located in the heart of Tarrazú.
