Ecuador - Hacienda La Papaya

This yeast washed Typica Mejorado from famed producer Juan Pena in Loja, Ecuador, was a stand-out on the cupping table when we were selecting lots for purchase from this season’s Ecuadorian harvest. Typica Mejorado is a varietal native to Ecuador and is a cross between Bourbon and Ethiopian landrace. Indeed, this year, we found that this varietal was really expressive and sweet on the table across the various producers that our exporting friends, Tri-Up, brought in. Hacienda La Papaya is a farm that is synonymous with high quality and sustainability. Juan’s approach to coffee production is incredibly data-driven and technologically adept. He collects and applies knowledge like the effects of various chemical fertilisers to optimal sugar content for harvesting cherries. These details show in the cup, which is sweet, layered and dynamic.

This particular washed lot shows off a yoghurt-like texture through fermentation with a particular yeast strain.