Ecuador - Vilcabamba - Organic

Per 250g pack - not the usual smaller 227g

Additional information:

Coffee: Vilcabamba - Valley of Longevity
Farm: Association of small growers
Varietal(s): Typica, Bourbon and Caturra
Processing: Wet-processed
Owner: Association of small growers
City/Town: Vilcabamba
Region:  Loja
Country: Ecuador
Certification: Organic

This is without doubt a very special coffee.

Vilcabamba is a village in the southern region of Ecuador, in the Loja province, about 45 km (28 mi) from the city of Loja. Referred to as the "Playground of the Inca" which refers to its historic use as a retreat for Incan royalty. The valley is overlooked by a mountain called Mandango, the Sleeping Inca, whose presence is said to protect the area from earthquakes and other natural disasters.

This Loja coffee comes from a variety of small producers within the PROCAFEQ and APECAP coffee growers associations, which are located in the Quilanga canton in the Loja province.

These small-scale producers have farms averaging 1.5 hectares in size. All are certified organic and have natural shade grown environments. Each of these farms has their own micro mills to process the coffee cherry. The coffee cherry is processed with hand-cranked depulpers, fermented in small tanks, then washed and laid out to dry on either patios or raised beds.

Both associations continually work towards improving the conditions for all their members by offering educational and organizational assistance, improving the quality of the product through new harvest and post-harvest technologies, developing social projects, and encouraging member participation in the larger democratic organization.

Cupping Score:

Clean cup: 7
Sweetness: 7
Acidity: 6
Mouthfeel: 7
Flavour: 7
Aftertaste: 6
Balance: 6
Overall: 7
Correction +36
Total 89

Brewing Notes:
Filtered: Yes
Espresso: Yes (medium bodied - lemon-toned apricot supported by floral notes with a very crisp clean bright sweet juicy end)