Juan Peña
Winner of three consecutive Sprudge Notable Coffee Producer Awards, Juan is recognized the world over as one of the best in specialty coffee. He bridges the sometimes divide between mastering the fundamentals of cultivation while continuing to evolve through research and technology.
Hacienda La Papaya
15 miles south of Saraguro - in the arid, tropical climate of the Andean Coastal Region - La Papaya is blessed with an optimal environment for specialty coffee. Founded in 2009, the mission has always been clear - marry top-quality varietals with meticulous processes, while continuing to further agricultural education (in consort with Cuenca University).
Mejorado
Still a relatively rare varietal found predominantly in Ecuador, Mejorado is sought for its notably unique and layered cup quality. Often misnamed "Typica Mejorado," it is in fact not a descendant of Typica but rather a hybrid of Bourbon and Ethiopian Landrace. This particular coffee was hand-picked for peak ripeness, then floated to remove any remaining defects. It was depulped and dry-fermented for 24 hours, before being washed and dried on raised beds for 16 days.