Coffee of the Month Club
 
Explore a new coffee every month with Pollard Coffee's Coffee of the Month Club.
Each month, subscribers receive a featured coffee selected for its exceptional quality, unique story, or distinctive flavor profile. Many of these coffees are limited releases and may never return once they're gone.
 
Costa Rica Santa Elena Estate Honey Processed
Rosario, Tarrazú, Costa Rica
 
Some coffees are special because of what’s in the cup. Others are special because of the people behind them. This one is both.
 
Santa Elena Estate is owned and operated by our friend Luz Marina “Luzma” Trujillo, high in the mountains of Tarrazú, Costa Rica. And this particular Honey Process lot is something Luzma produces specifically for Pollard Coffee.
 
That makes this coffee especially meaningful to us. We know Luzma, we know her farm, and we’ve seen firsthand the care she puts into her work. From the beautifully maintained estate to the careful processing and drying of the coffee, her attention to detail is evident at every stage.
 
Santa Elena sits in the Rosario district of Tarrazú, where cool mountain temperatures, rich volcanic soils, and elevations reaching 1,650 meters provide ideal conditions for growing exceptional coffee. The estate is planted primarily with Caturra, alongside Typica, and Luzma brings generations of agricultural knowledge and a meticulous approach to every harvest.
 
So, What Exactly Is Honey Process?
Despite the name, there’s no honey involved! The term comes from the naturally sticky layer of fruit, called mucilage, that remains on the coffee after the outer skin of the cherry has been removed. Instead of washing that fruit away, the coffee is dried with some of the mucilage still attached to the parchment.
 
Honey processing gives the coffee an interesting middle ground between washed and natural coffees. It can preserve the clarity and brightness we love in Costa Rican coffee while adding a little more body, sweetness, and viscosity to the cup.
 
It’s also a process that uses considerably less water than traditional wet fermentation, making it a thoughtful alternative to fully washed processing.
 
In the Cup
This Honey Process Santa Elena is crisp, clean, and bright, with a silky, lightly syrupy body. Grapefruit and plum lead the cup, followed by subtle herbaceous notes and rich milk chocolate sweetness. A delicate hint of jasmine lingers on the finish.
 
It’s an elegant expression of Tarrazú—bright and lively, but rounded by the sweetness and body that honey processing brings.
 
And perhaps our favorite part: Luzma makes this coffee for us. It’s a small connection between her farm in the mountains of Costa Rica and our roastery here at home, and we’re pretty thrilled to share it with you.
 
Coffee Details
Grower: Luz Marina Trujillo — Santa Elena Estate
Region: Rosario District, Tarrazú, Costa Rica
Variety: 90% Caturra, 10% Typica
Altitude: 1,250–1,650 masl
Soil: Rich volcanic soils
Process: Honey
Grade: SHB EP
Harvest: November–February
 
Tasting Notes
Grapefruit • Plum • Herbaceous • Milk Chocolate • Jasmine
 
About the Coffee of the Month Club
 
Choose the subscription that works best for you:
3 Month Subscription
6 Month Subscription
Until Cancelled
 
Available in 12 oz, 2 lb, and 5 lb bags.
 
Each month you'll receive a freshly roasted featured coffee selected by Pollard Coffee. Subscribers enjoy first access to each month's offering before any remaining inventory becomes available to the public. It's a simple way to experience remarkable coffees from around the world while expanding your coffee journey one cup at a time.
 
Coffee of the Month is always subscriber-first. Subscriber pricing is available only during the featured month and may increase if the coffee is released to the public afterward.