Ecuador — Abel Salinas Finca Arashi Typica Mejorado (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍑 White Peach • 🌼 Chamomile • 💜 Violet

DETAILS

• Producer: Abel Salinas
• Farm: Finca Arashi
• Region: Loja, Ecuador
• Varietal: Typica Mejorado
• Process: Washed
• Size: 125g or 250g

INTRO

A mainstay in H&S's annual lineup — Abel Salinas at Finca Arashi, and a washed Typica Mejorado that this season has taken a notably different and more subtle direction. Soft stonefruits, an abundance of florals, and an unmistakable chamomile presence that runs from aroma to finish — an interesting departure from previous harvests, and one that rewards patience and an extended rest. In the cup: white peach, chamomile, and violet.

THE PRODUCER

Abel Salinas is a Cup of Excellence winner and first-generation coffee grower from Saraguro in the Loja region of southern Ecuador. His farm, Finca Arashi, sits at high altitude in Ecuador's southern Andean highlands where cool temperatures, mineral soils, and slow cherry development create ideal conditions for the kind of delicate, expressive cup that Abel consistently delivers. He cultivates predominantly Typica Mejorado alongside Sidra and H1 Hybrid — and his washed Mejorado lot has become one of the most eagerly anticipated annual releases for roasters who value subtlety, transparency, and floral precision.

Mejorado has become the gem of Ecuadorian specialty coffee — a cross-pollination of Bourbon and Ethiopian Landrace, now identified as distinct from Typica despite the similarity in name. Valued for its refined, aromatic complexity and bright acidity, it finds exceptional expression in Loja's cool, mineral-rich growing environment.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Finca Arashi involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Typica Mejorado cherries selectively harvested at peak ripeness 🔧 Depulping — Outer skin removed before fermentation 🧪 Dry fermentation — Beans fermented dry for 24 hours 💧 Washing — Thoroughly washed immediately after fermentation to remove all residue ☀️ Drying — Dried for approximately 15 days to optimal moisture content

The 24-hour dry fermentation followed by immediate washing is the defining step — a clean, restrained approach that develops just enough structure and complexity to complement the Mejorado's inherent brightness, preserving the soft stonefruit character and delicate floral precision that define this season's notably subtle and chamomile-forward harvest.

THE CUP

A beautifully delicate and highly floral washed Typica Mejorado from one of Ecuador's most consistently excellent small farms — soft white peach sweetness, a pervasive chamomile presence from aroma to finish, and a delicate violet florality in a highly tea-like cup of exceptional subtlety and elegance. Recommended rest: 50+ days for full development.

Flavour Notes

🍑 White Peach 🌼 Chamomile 💜 Violet