Ecuador — Leopoldo Andrade & Ligia Merizalde Finca La Josefina Typica Mejorado (Anaerobic Honey)

Tastes Like — 🌺 Hibiscus • 🌸 Cherry Blossom • 🍊 Blood Orange • 🍈 Tamarind

DETAILS

• Producers: Leopoldo Andrade & Ligia Merizalde
• Farm: Finca La Josefina
• Region: Cayambe-Coca Natural Reserve, Ecuador
• Varietal: Typica Mejorado
• Process: Anaerobic Honey
• Elevation: 1,800 masl

INTRO The first of two beautiful honey lots shared by Leopoldo Andrade, following an outreach that began over the winter and continued at WOC San Diego. This Typica Mejorado clearly showcases the variety's sweetness and beauty, amplified by careful attention to processing and the light mucilage layer left on during depulping. In the cup: hibiscus, cherry blossom, blood orange, and tamarind.

THE PRODUCER Leopoldo Andrade and Ligia Merizalde farm Finca La Josefina within the Cayambe-Coca Natural Reserve in Ecuador, growing Typica Mejorado, Gesha, and Sidra alongside continued fermentation experimentation. The relationship began after an initial outreach in winter, followed by an in-person meeting at World of Coffee San Diego to discuss bringing Leopoldo's coffee onto the menu.

THE PROCESS In Leopoldo's own words: "This coffee undergoes an anaerobic fermentation process. First, it is fermented in cherry for 72 hours, then depulped and subjected to a second fermentation. Finally, it undergoes 12 hours of oxidation and is dried on African beds for 15 to 18 days."

The whole-cherry fermentation followed by a light mucilage layer left on during depulping is the defining step — it's what amplifies Typica Mejorado's natural sweetness and beauty, building the hibiscus, cherry blossom, and tamarind complexity that define this cup.

THE CUP Sweet and floral — hibiscus and cherry blossom lead, with a blood orange brightness and a tamarind depth rounding out the finish. A complex, detail-driven showcase of Typica Mejorado.

Flavour Notes 🌺 Hibiscus 🌸 Cherry Blossom 🍊 Blood Orange 🍈 Tamarind