Alejandro Castro & Volcán Azul | Costa Rica

Producer Highlight | Alejandro Castro & Volcán Azul

Volcán Azul is located in Costa Rica's West Valley, where rich volcanic soils, cool mountain temperatures, and elevations ranging from 1,400 to 1,600 meters create ideal conditions for coffee cultivation. The farm is managed by fifth-generation producer Alejandro Castro, whose family has been growing coffee in the region since the mid-1800s.

Over generations, the Castro family has become one of Costa Rica's most respected coffee-producing families. Their work has helped establish the country's reputation for quality, innovation, and meticulous attention to detail. 

The estate has earned repeated recognition through Costa Rica's Cup of Excellence program, producing award-winning lots that have become highly sought after by roasters, green buyers, and coffee competitors around the world. 

The estate itself spans multiple elevations and microclimates across the slopes of Poás Volcano. These conditions allow coffee cherries to mature slowly, developing greater sweetness and complexity before harvest. Volcanic sandy loam soils contribute mineral richness, while the region's stable climate provides ideal conditions for cultivation and processing.

A defining characteristic of Volcán Azul is its commitment to lot separation and varietal integrity. Rather than treating coffee as a uniform crop, each variety is cultivated, harvested, and processed with the goal of preserving its individual character. This attention to detail has made the estate a sought-after producer among specialty roasters and competitors worldwide.

Today, Alejandro Castro continues to build upon generations of agricultural knowledge while pursuing new levels of precision in cultivation and processing. The result is a farm that remains one of Costa Rica's benchmark producers and a consistent source of some of the country's most respected coffees.

Volcán Azul Honey Decaf

Tasting Notes

Melon Candy · Caramel Chews · Green Grape · Lime Zest · Orange Chocolate

This limited microlot begins with Volcán Azul's honey process, a method that leaves a portion of the fruit mucilage attached during drying to enhance sweetness and texture.

The resulting cup opens with confection-like sweetness reminiscent of melon candy and caramel chews before revealing notes of green grape and citrus. As it cools, lime zest and orange chocolate emerge, carrying through a finish that remains clean, balanced, and composed.

Try it here -> Volcán Azul Honey Decaf

Swiss Water Process

The Swiss Water Process was developed as an alternative to traditional chemical decaffeination methods. Using only water, temperature, and time, caffeine is removed while preserving as much of the coffee's original character as possible.

The Swiss Water Process uses water, temperature, and time to remove caffeine while preserving the coffee's natural flavor. Green coffee is soaked in a specialized solution that contains the coffee's soluble compounds but no caffeine. As the coffee is gently processed, the caffeine is removed while much of the sweetness, acidity, and aromatics that give the coffee its character are retained.

Due to no chemical solvents being used, the process has become one of the most respected methods of decaffeination in specialty coffee. While all decaffeination influences flavor to some degree, Swiss Water is widely valued for its ability to preserve sweetness, structure, and origin character.

Caturra

This lot is composed of Caturra, a natural mutation of Bourbon first discovered in Brazil. Compact in stature and highly productive, Caturra became widely planted throughout Central America because of its ability to produce excellent quality while remaining well suited to higher elevations.

When grown in environments like Costa Rica's West Valley, Caturra develops a profile marked by sweetness, structure, and clarity. It is a variety that responds especially well to careful cultivation and processing, allowing both fruit character and acidity to remain distinct without becoming overwhelming.