Ecuador La Joya

Ecuador coffee is a rarity, but when you DO find one, they are magically good.

This one is grown in the Southern part of the country where organic farming is the most common, with rainforest and Amazon Mountains.  The La Joya farm takes meticulous care of their growing, sorting, and processing, grown at 4,000-4500 feet above sea level, and the perfect coffee climate right on the Equator.  The beans are small and need less heat than normal.

A City roast offers tremendous flavor.  It has a juicy cherry and amaretto character with the sweetness of an Ethiopia and the body of a Colombia. It's simultaneously floral, fruity, and nutty. You can roast it all the way up to the second cracks, but the further you go, the less interesting it becomes. I would not take it into the 2nd cracks, as it loses its complexity and picks up a bitter aftertaste. However, if the roast gets away from you and you find yourself in the second cracks, take it dark.  Really dark.  A good minute into 2nd cracks into deep French Roast territory where you get very sweet full bodied French roast without any ashy notes.  Also, you can roast this almost to the 2nd cracks for a lovely espresso. This isn't a coffee you'll soon forget.

US Arrival: January 2025