Costa Rica Volcan Azul Honey H1 Hybrid

Alejo Castro Kahle came into coffee growing naturally—his great-great grandfather, Wilhelm Kahle, first went into the trade in the 1800s alongside partner Alejo C. Jiménez. Carrying both names and also their legacy, our generation’s Alejo manages the Volcan Azul Estate, with a passion for quality, sustainability, and innovation that would make his ancestors proud. Indeed, the farm is a multi-time finalist at the Costa Rica Cup of Excellence, with coffees placing in the top 10 in 2024 and 2025.

Sustainability and conservation are essential values at Volcan Azul. More than half of the estate’s land is dedicated to conservation, and the farmland itself is a locus of biodiversity, water source protection, pollination, and soil protection. Shade trees are planted both for the benefit of the coffee, and the land, and wild boars, snakes, coyotes, and small felines thrive here.

This coffee is part of Volcan Azul’s continued commitment to quality through processing, and comes from the novel H1 Centroamericano hybrid variety, developed to be resistant to leaf rust while also delivering an exceptional cup profile. A honey process (truly one of Costa Rica’s signature methods) was used to enhance the sweetness of this coffee’s flavor profile. This new crop is our second Emerald Micro Lots offering from Volcan Azul, and we’re delighted to bring it back to the Swiss Water audience.