"Upon grinding, the aroma presents berries, mango, pickled pineapple, raisins, and a subtle wine-like note. On the palate, mango, pickled pineapple, and strawberry lead, followed by starfruit juice and cherry jam, with raisins lingering in the finish."
La Lia is a family coffee project led by brothers Luis and Oscar Monge in Costa Rica’s Tarrazú region. The family’s farming history spans several generations, while the brothers have operated their own micro-mill since 2008. Named after their mother, Lia, the mill gives them direct control over the preparation of their coffees. Their approach centres on selective harvesting, separate processing and close attention to each farm and variety.
The family cultivates several plots across Tarrazú’s mountainous landscape. Higher elevations bring cooler growing conditions that encourage gradual cherry maturation. At Pie San, the brothers planted Sudan Rume alongside San Roque, Geisha and Typica Amarillo in 2014. These plantings form part of their continuing exploration of varieties suited to the region’s highland environment.
Sudan Rume, also known as Rume Sudan, is an Arabica selection associated with the Boma Plateau in present-day South Sudan. Its genetic background has made it an important resource in coffee breeding, including as a parent of Centroamericano. It has also contributed valuable resistance to coffee berry disease in breeding programmes. At La Lia, its cultivation extends the family’s varietal range beyond the more widely planted Catuaí and Caturra.
Harvesting begins with the manual selection of ripe cherries, followed by sorting before processing. For red honey preparation, the outer skin and pulp are removed while mucilage remains attached to the parchment. The coffee dries with this sticky fruit layer intact, making airflow, moisture management and even drying important throughout the process. The term honey refers to the retained mucilage rather than the addition of honey.
La Lia keeps coffees separated by farm, variety and picking date, allowing individual harvests to retain their identity through processing. Returning picking families contribute experience and continuity to the operation. Their careful selection in the field supports the work carried out at the micro-mill. Together, these practices connect the Monge family’s farming heritage with its continued development of distinctive varietal coffees.
Variety : Sudan Rume
Altitude : 1,980 masl
Process : Red Honey
Origin : Tarrazu, Costa Rica