There’s something unforgettable about your first sip of a beautifully executed natural process coffee. It hits with this wild, juicy energy—notes of tropical fruit, ripe berries, maybe even a little wine-like tang. It’s loud in all the right ways, but clean, balanced, and complex underneath.
So, what exactly makes a natural coffee sing?
Let’s Start With the Basics
In coffee, “natural process” refers to a method where the whole coffee cherry is dried with the fruit still intact—think of it like making a raisin rather than squeezing the juice out first. Once dried, the outer layers are removed, and the green seed (what we call the “bean”) is ready for roasting.
Compared to washed or honey processes, naturals tend to produce louder, fruitier, and sometimes funkier flavour profiles. Done right, they're complex, sweet, and head-turning. Done wrong? They can be sour, muddy, or overfermented.
That’s the rub. Naturals are risky.
It’s Not Just Drying—It’s a Dance
The key to great naturals lies in control. Dry too fast, and you trap off flavours. Dry too slow, and the coffee can spoil. The fruit layer needs to break down just enough to enhance the cup—without overpowering it.
For Marysabel and Moises Caballero at Finca La Tanairi, this dance is second nature. Their attention to detail during the drying process is extraordinary. The cherries for Lot 57C were dried slowly under controlled conditions—turned regularly, shaded appropriately, and monitored with relentless precision.
That kind of control requires time, infrastructure, and—crucially—people.
In fact, when I was coming up through the ranks as a budding coffee buyer and quality control specialist, we were taught that any cherry-like flavors were actually a bad thing, and we would wipe them from the cupping table. Washed coffees in my background reigned king, so it is remarkable to see how far this processing has come—and that the risks are all but mitigated, though still present.
This Year, the Stakes Were Higher
The stakes truly rose this year—for both producers and roasters alike. Every decision carried weight, and every bean told part of the story.
Our cost of green rose by more than 30% this year, but we still chose to honor the relationship and stay committed to our producing partners.
The 2024/ 2025 harvest season came with a curveball: a sharp labor shortage across Honduras. Fewer pickers meant competition was fierce. Wages tripled. Many producers had to make hard choices.
At La Tanairi, the Caballeros stayed the course. They brought in the skilled pickers they needed, kept standards high, and maintained their natural processing protocols without compromise.
That decision came at a cost—one that we at Tectonic chose to carry. We believe quality is worth protecting, even when it stretches the economics. Especially when it does.
Lot 57C: A Natural Done Right
While final tasting notes are still pending in Cropster, our early cuppings of Lot 57C suggest something special: layers of ripe fruit, clean structure, and the kind of sweetness that stays with you long after the cup’s gone cold.
This isn’t just a flashy natural—it’s a disciplined one. The kind that shows restraint, complexity, and elegance. It’s expressive without being chaotic. Loud, but in harmony.
In other words, it sings.
So, Why Does This Matter?
In an age of automation and scale, natural coffees remind us that flavor is still handcrafted. They show what’s possible when skill, science, and patience come together on the drying beds.
And for us at Tectonic, Lot 57C is more than just a delicious cup—it’s a symbol of shared values. Of sticking with your partners through tough seasons. Of investing in quality, not just marketing words.
So next time you brew a natural coffee that makes you pause mid-sip, remember: that flavour didn’t just happen. It was earned, layer by layer, under the sun.