A few years ago, Pepe sent us a sample of his TyOxy-processed Mejorado that we still refer to as lightning in a bottle. It was unlike anything we had tasted before. This season's extremely small 63kg lot is remarkably reminiscent of that first experience. In the cup we find an incredibly complex profile of dark berries, currants, and hibiscus, with a finish that seems to go on forever.
Mejorado
Imbabura
1,515 masl
September 12th, 2024
Hand-picked at peak ripeness. Held in-cherry in open tanks for 12 hours. De-pulped. Dry-fermented for an additional 24 hours in sealed tanks with mucilage intact. Washed. Dried on raised beds.
ABOUT PEPE JIJON
Pepe Jijón is an inspiring producer with an equally remarkable farm. Finca Soledad is a biodynamic, organic farm with some of the most biodiversity we have encountered. He cultivates only Sidra, Gesha, and Mejorado on a 4-hectare (~10-acre) plot within 120 hectares (~300 acres) of cloud forest. Beyond coffee, Soledad is a community-driven project where Pepe and his family provide support and employment to single mothers.
ABOUT MEJORADO
Mejorado is a very unique variety mainly grown in Ecuador. Though it is colloquially known as Typica Mejorado, we now know — thanks to genetic testing by World Coffee Reseach — that it is actually a Bourbon variety cross-pollinated with an Ethiopian Landrace variety.
Pricing Details
DIRECT (GREEN)
$66.00/KG
The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole.