A microlot is a small quantity of coffee kept separate through picking, processing and milling because it is distinctive enough to be worth the trouble.
What “separate” means
Normally a farm’s output is combined into large uniform lots. A microlot might be a single field, a single day’s picking, a single varietal, or a single fermentation tank.
Keeping it apart is expensive — separate drying beds, separate bags, separate paperwork — so it is only done when the coffee justifies it.
The size
Anything from a few bags to a few dozen. There is no formal definition, which is part of the problem.
Why they cost more
Small volume, more labour, more risk, and usually competitive bidding. Microlots are where the extraordinary prices happen — a Panama Geisha auction lot can reach four figures per kilo.
The honest caveat
The term is unregulated. Anyone can put “microlot” on a bag. What makes it meaningful is the specificity around it: the farm name, the varietal, the altitude, the harvest date, the lot number.
A microlot with no traceable details is a marketing word.
Should you buy one
For filter, occasionally, as an experiment — it is where the most unusual coffee lives.
For daily espresso with milk, rarely. Milk flattens exactly the delicacy you paid for.
Last reviewed 8 August 2026