"Ecuador" from Kmen Coffee Roasters in České Budějovice is a filter coffee that will delight all lovers of fruity and floral coffees. The flavor first opens with a sweet and juicy peach, which is immediately brightened by fresh pink grapefruit. As the coffee cools, a delicate finish reminiscent of green tea with jasmine emerges. Although this is a naturally processed lot, don’t expect heavy or overripe notes. On the contrary, it comes across as very clean, lively, and elegant, with a fuller sweetness and a beautifully distinct fruity profile. The peach adds roundness to the cup, the grapefruit provides energy, and the floral-tea notes soften the overall profile. The result is a coffee that is distinctive yet still light and very pleasant to drink.
The coffee comes from the Hacienda La Papaya farm in the Yunguilla Valley in southern Ecuador. The farm is run by producer Juan Peña, who is one of the most respected figures in the world of contemporary Ecuadorian specialty coffee. Hacienda La Papaya is located high in the Andes, at an elevation of approximately 1 ,800 to 2 ,200 meters, where warm days alternate with cool mountain nights. It is precisely these temperature fluctuations that slow the ripening of the coffee cherries and help concentrate their sugars. The coffee trees also benefit from deep, mineral-rich volcanic soil, a dry tropical climate, and steady equatorial sunshine. This lot combines the Geisha, Sidra, and Typica Mejorado varieties, so the genetic composition alone suggests that the resulting cup will be aromatically distinctive and complex.
Processing is done using the dry method, but with exceptionally precise control over every step. The cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness, then washed with pure Andean water and slowly dried for approximately 20 to 30 days in solar dryers. The processing is overseen by the farm’s own Integrated Coffee Pulse monitoring system, which tracks soil nutrition, climatic conditions, and the drying curve itself. After drying, the beans undergo mechanical, gravity-based, optical, and manual sorting. The result is a natural coffee that retains its purity and freshness while offering full-bodied sweetness and a long, elegant aftertaste.