High in the Costa Rican rainforest in Santa Maria de Dota sits Diego Hidalgo's family farm and mill, La Bandera. Diego has planted rare varieties at the highest reaches of the farm, including the gesha plants that this microlot was picked from. In the wet mill, Diego has honed his processing techniques to an expert level. This coffee is a collaboration between Metric and La Bandera. It started as a simple conversation while visiting the farm. Two things stood out -- how beautiful the coffee growing at La Bandera is and that Diego was processing all of it as natural or honey process. The question was asked, "What would this coffee be like as a double washed?" Diego agreed to find out and a quintal of La Bandera Gesha was set aside for this experiment. After harvesting, this lot was depulped and kept in an open steel tank overnight. The next morning, it undergoes its first wash. The tank was filled with cool, clean water just above the parchment. After three hours, the first wash is drained. The tank is then refilled with clean water, and undergoes a longer second wash. In the evening, the second wash was drained and the coffee was transferred to shaded, raised beds. It was dried for 12 days, being turned every hour to ensure even drying. Referred to as Double Washed processing – sometimes Kenyan double washed due to its renown in that country – this process intensifies the flavors present while giving the coffee exceptional clarity and a crisp, clean expression. Diego’s masterful execution of this special process produced a lot that shows off the highest potential of Costa Rican coffees.