From the highlands of Africa to the slopes of Tarrazú - the global journey of a legendary variety.
SL‑28 is one of the most celebrated coffee varieties ever discovered - but not because it was engineered in a lab. In the early 1930s, botanists working in Kenya sourced seeds from a drought‑tolerant coffee tree growing in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). Scientists at the newly formed Scott Agricultural Laboratories evaluated these plants and, in 1935, selected one standout tree for its vigor, drought hardiness, and exceptional cup quality. They named it SL‑28 - the “SL” standing simply for Scott Laboratories.
It wasn’t bred; it was identified, nurtured, and multiplied.
The result became legendary. SL‑28 quickly rose to define the Kenyan cup profile - bright acidity, layered fruit complexity, velvety body - a combination that would win auctions, dominate competitions, and set the benchmark for washed African coffees for decades.
But the real story begins when the variety left home.
The Quiet Migration to Costa Rica
Unlike Geisha, which entered Panama through formal research channels and reshaped global coffee economics practically overnight, SL‑28 arrived in Central America quietly. No official introduction, no genetic certification, no headlines - just seed to farmer, farmer to farmer. A whisper of possibility passed hand to hand.
By the mid‑2010s, a small circle of pioneering Costa Rican producers were planting SL‑28 experimentally - drawn by its potential for high quality and its storied reputation. And in the mountains of Tarrazú, something remarkable happened.
SL‑28 adapted.
Instead of Kenya’s sharp citrus and tomato‑like acidity, Costa Rican lots began presenting tropical fruit tones, florals, deep honeyed sweetness, and jammy berries. The genetics stayed Kenyan - the expression became uniquely Costa Rican. A variety with African roots found a new voice on volcanic soil.
It took patience. It took curiosity. It took farmers willing to take risks.
A New Chapter at Finca La Lía
Perched near 1,900–2,000 meters with cool nights and rich volcanic soil, Finca La Lía is the ideal canvas for slow‑maturing, dense‑bean varieties. The Monge brothers - Luis and Oscar - built their micromill in 2007, becoming early leaders in Costa Rica’s micro‑lot revolution. They’ve since turned the farm into a living lab of varietal exploration: Geisha, Pacamara, Ethiopian landraces - and, of course, SL‑28.
When SL‑28 arrived at La Lía, they didn’t just plant it. They studied it. Processed it intentionally. Honed fermentation timing through their signature white honey methodology - a style that leaves rich mucilage intact during drying, amplifying sweetness and fruit character.
The outcome? Cups with Kenyan structure, Costa Rican soul - ripe berry density, floral lift, and long honeyed finish.
Not a clone of origin. A rebirth.
Why SL‑28 Works Here
Tarrazú gives this variety the conditions it craves:
• High elevation & cool nights → slow maturation, high bean density
• Volcanic soil → nutrition for sweetness + structure
• Meticulous agronomy → essential for a variety prone to rust & disease
• Small‑lot processing precision → controlled fermentation = clarity + character
SL‑28 isn’t easy to grow in Central America - but managed with intention, it rewards. Quality over yield. Craft over volume.
And that’s where this release stands out.
The Earthmover Connection
At Tectonic, an Earthmover coffee isn’t chosen - it earns its place. It must move something. Perspective. Potential. Expectation.
This single‑lot SL‑28 from Finca La Lía embodies exactly that spirit. A Kenyan heirloom variety - selected nearly a century ago - now thriving on Costa Rican soil through innovation, experimentation, and respect for craft. It connects continents, producers, and generations of coffee evolution.
This is a coffee with history in its genetics and future in its cup.
Taste SL‑28 reinterpreted. Re‑rooted. Reborn.
Explore the release here.