Arnaud Causse Heirloom

Ecuador — Arnaud Causse & Sebastian Garcés, Terrazas del Pisque — Landrace (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍯 Honeyed Almond • 🍋 Lemon Custard • 🍐 Pear • 🌸 Lily

DETAILS

• Producer: Arnaud Causse & Sebastian Garcés
• Farm: Terrazas del Pisque
• Region: Pichincha, Ecuador
• Varietal: Landrace (Heirloom)
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 2,000 MASL
• Harvest: August 2024
• Size: 250g

INTRO

A standout lot from Arnaud and his partner Sebastian — their Heirloom is a coffee of elegant and bright expressions. The variety carries a marigold florality with a light stonefruit character; in the cup expect peach-pear with a delicate nip of lily and minerality.

Understated yet complex, this coffee presents subtle tropicality alongside a lemon meringue sweetness that lingers long into the cool. A rare and refined offering from one of Ecuador's most dedicated growing partnerships.

THE PRODUCER

Arnaud Causse is a man defined by overcoming challenges. For several decades his passion for coffee has evolved into a career as a travelling agronomist — Kenya, Costa Rica, Gabon, El Salvador, the Galápagos Islands and beyond. After years of working across origin countries, Arnaud returned to Ecuador and founded Finca Terrazas del Pisque, a farm carved into the high desert of Pichincha province.

The farm is co-managed with Sebastian Garcés and spans 39 hectares, with 17 dedicated to coffee. Sitting at 2,000 MASL, around 10,000 trees are in production across varieties including Red & Yellow Caturra, Pacamara, Las Tolas, Bourbon, Java and Sidra. Arnaud's biodynamic approach has shaped a complete ecosystem: chickens combat larvae, Pelibuey sheep graze and fertilise, and charcoal made from pruned wood is returned to the soil.

This philosophy of letting nature lead has produced coffees of outstanding consistency and character — and each new crop season marks a further progression. Terrazas del Pisque is one of the most compelling projects in contemporary Ecuadorian coffee.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Terrazas del Pisque involves:

• 🍒 Selective Harvest — Sebastian picks only the ripest cherries at peak maturation
• ✅ Floating & Sorting — cherries are floated to remove over- and under-ripes before processing
• 💧 Washing — cherries are rinsed with clean water to remove surface impurities
• 🔧 De-pulping — the fruit skin is mechanically removed
• 🧪 Fermentation — parchment is left to ferment in tanks for 48 hours
• ☀️ Raised Bed Drying — coffee is dried on raised beds for 15–18 days depending on weather

This meticulous approach preserves the natural clarity of the Landrace variety, allowing its floral and stonefruit character to shine without interference.

THE CUP

The Heirloom from Terrazas del Pisque is a beautifully measured cup — bright without being sharp, complex without being demanding. It opens with a marigold florality and light stonefruit before revealing subtle tropicality and a distinctive lemon meringue sweetness as it cools.

Flavour Notes

• 🍯 Honeyed Almond
• 🍋 Lemon Custard
• 🍐 Pear
• 🌸 Lily