Hacienda La Papaya is an Ecuadorian coffee from the Paris-based roastery Tanat Coffee. It comes from the Saraguro region in the Andes. In the cup, it perfectly represents the Typica Mejorado variety and develops a clean, harmonious profile with the subtle sweetness of dates and figs, complemented by a fresh hint of pink grapefruit. Its silky body and pleasant balance make this coffee an excellent choice for drip brewing.
The Saraguro region lies in the Andes in southern Ecuador and has become one of the most interesting places on the coffee map in recent years. It was here, at an elevation of 1, 900 to 2,100 meters above sea level, that Juan Peña founded the Hacienda La Papaya farm in 2010—today one of the pioneering farms of Ecuadorian specialty coffee. A scientific approach is combined here with respect for the terroir; the farm uses modern irrigation methods, sensor monitoring, and controlled drying, and maintains its own gene bank of popular varieties such as Geisha, Sidra, Pacamara, and Yellow Bourbon. Hacienda La Papaya also plays an important social role in the region, employing the local community—particularly women—and contributing to the education of a new generation of growers.
The coffee undergoes natural processing with controlled fermentation. After careful hand-picking, the whole coffee cherries are first allowed to ferment under controlled conditions to fully develop their sweet potential. They are then spread out on African beds, where they are slowly sun-dried in their pulp while being turned regularly. The result is an incredibly rich cup in which the Saraguro region reveals itself in all its beauty, depth, and elegance.