If any producer on our menu had little need of introduction, it would definitely be Jose Jijon of Finca San Pedro; that said, we’ll give it a red hot go regardless. For over a year, we have been communicating with Jose and his father, Pepe of Finca Soledad, about the possibility of joining the extremely exclusive list of roasteries in the US who carry this washed mejorada from Finca San Pedro. To finally be given an allocation of this lot—a lot which is by far one of the most memorable, sparkling experiences we’ve ever had with Ecuadorian coffee—is a real honor and privilege. We couldn’t be more grateful to the whole San Pedro team, Jose and Pepe in particular, for their meticulous care for this coffee, and for the opportunity to work with, roast, and share such a beautiful offering.
We would be remiss if we didn’t begin the description of this coffee by noting just how gosh darn sweet it is—one of the sweetest we’ve ever tasted. This offering presents, throughout the drinking experience, with that delicateness which is so unique to coffee from Ecuador, offering up subtle honeydew melon both on the nose and on the palette. To follow this up, we find an abundance of fine osmanthus florals, and thick, syruppy, green agave sweetness which just goes on, and on, and on—a veritable stunner, and not one to be missed.
This lot is the product of Pepe and Jose’s latest endeavor—their newly-established farm San Pedro, located at 2.200 masl in the Loja region of Ecuador, in the foothills of Putushio mountain. Being the son of the lauded producer Pepe Jijon, Jose grew up with first-hand access to a wealth of knowledge and skill in the cultivation of some of the best coffee Ecuador has to offer. Within the last few years, as Jose progresses into his 20’s, he has taken on increasingly more responsibility for the operation of Finca San Pedro, and it’s clear from the quality of the coffee he is producing, that he has picked up much more than just a thing or two from working with his father. Having spoken with Jose on several occasions, we’re very glad that he strongly shares our belief in the beauty, quality, and potential of minimally-processed, traditionally washed terroir- and varietal-forward coffees, of which this offering is such a perfect example.
The origins of mejorada, also known as typica mejorada/o, aren’t certain, but at present it is believed to be the product of a Nestle coffee research lab in Pinchincha, Ecuador. A technician at this facility named Don Olger Rogel was the first to identify two unique F1 hybrid varieties which presented unusually high potential for quality in the cup, namely, sidra and mejorada. Mejorada seeds from this project were then shared with Pepe Jijon, who in 2010 became the first producer to plant the variety, which he planted on his farm, Finca Soledad, in Imbabura, Ecuador. Despite often being referred to as ‘typica mejorada/o’, mejorada is in fact not a descendent of typica at all, instead being a bourbon descendent; this name is believed to be a reference to its similarity with typica in flavor profile, rather than its genetic composition. For this reason, we simply refer to it as ‘mejorada’. Today, mejorada cultivation remains largely exclusive to Ecuador, although every year we discover new origins, such as Colombia and Costa Rica, which are beginning to grow it.
All coffee is sold whole-bean to reduce oxidization, and increase the longevity of volatile organic compounds.
If any producer on our menu had little need of introduction, it would definitely be Jose Jijon of Finca San Pedro; that said, we’ll give it a red hot go regardless. For over a year, we have been communicating with Jose and his father, Pepe of Finca Soledad, about the possibility of joining the extremely exclusive list of roasteries in the US who carry this washed mejorada from Finca San Pedro. To finally be given an allocation of this lot—a lot which is by far one of the most memorable, sparkling experiences we’ve ever had with Ecuadorian coffee—is a real honor and privilege. We couldn’t be more grateful to the whole San Pedro team, Jose and Pepe in particular, for their meticulous care for this coffee, and for the opportunity to work with, roast, and share such a beautiful offering.
We would be remiss if we didn’t begin the description of this coffee by noting just how gosh darn sweet it is—one of the sweetest we’ve ever tasted. This offering presents, throughout the drinking experience, with that delicateness which is so unique to coffee from Ecuador, offering up subtle honeydew melon both on the nose and on the palette. To follow this up, we find an abundance of fine osmanthus florals, and thick, syruppy, green agave sweetness which just goes on, and on, and on—a veritable stunner, and not one to be missed.
This lot is the product of Pepe and Jose’s latest endeavor—their newly-established farm San Pedro, located at 2.200 masl in the Loja region of Ecuador, in the foothills of Putushio mountain. Being the son of the lauded producer Pepe Jijon, Jose grew up with first-hand access to a wealth of knowledge and skill in the cultivation of some of the best coffee Ecuador has to offer. Within the last few years, as Jose progresses into his 20’s, he has taken on increasingly more responsibility for the operation of Finca San Pedro, and it’s clear from the quality of the coffee he is producing, that he has picked up much more than just a thing or two from working with his father. Having spoken with Jose on several occasions, we’re very glad that he strongly shares our belief in the beauty, quality, and potential of minimally-processed, traditionally washed terroir- and varietal-forward coffees, of which this offering is such a perfect example.
The origins of mejorada, also known as typica mejorada/o, aren’t certain, but at present it is believed to be the product of a Nestle coffee research lab in Pinchincha, Ecuador. A technician at this facility named Don Olger Rogel was the first to identify two unique F1 hybrid varieties which presented unusually high potential for quality in the cup, namely, sidra and mejorada. Mejorada seeds from this project were then shared with Pepe Jijon, who in 2010 became the first producer to plant the variety, which he planted on his farm, Finca Soledad, in Imbabura, Ecuador. Despite often being referred to as ‘typica mejorada/o’, mejorada is in fact not a descendent of typica at all, instead being a bourbon descendent; this name is believed to be a reference to its similarity with typica in flavor profile, rather than its genetic composition. For this reason, we simply refer to it as ‘mejorada’. Today, mejorada cultivation remains largely exclusive to Ecuador, although every year we discover new origins, such as Colombia and Costa Rica, which are beginning to grow it.
All coffee is sold whole-bean to reduce oxidization, and increase the longevity of volatile organic compounds.
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