Chito Community Blend Washed

This round light roast opens with aromas of snickerdoodle cookie, plum, and nutmeg. Sweet notes of golden raisin and caramel accompany plum-like acidity in the cup, finishing with notes of Meyer lemon zest and candied almond.

Details

Producer: CafExporto Farm: Various Smallholders Region: Chito, Zamora Chinchipe Altitude: 1,543 masl | 5,062 feet Varietals: Sarchimor, Caturra, SL 28, Catimor, Castillo Process: Washed Roast: Light Notes: Snickerdoodle, Plum, Candied Almond

The Story

This community lot is the result of a collaboration between smallholder farmers in Zamora Chinchipe province and CafExporto, the milling and exporting arm of Juan Peña's Hacienda La Papaya.

"Cosmel Merino represents the community of coffee producers in Chito, Zamora Chinchipe, which is located in southeast Ecuador, adjacent to the Peruvian border. The family farms in this area average four acres.

"Currently there are 55 coffee producers in the community, most of whom are very poor and live off the land they cultivate. To date, they have not had a responsive market for their coffee, which has been sold only in Ecuador’s national market. This is one of several communities that CafExporto 'found' during the 2021 harvest.

"CafExporto is making an investment in these communities, which have the potential to produce excellent coffee, by donating seeds of new varieties (Typica mejorada and Sidra) and introducing better fertilization and growing practices.

"Chito is a highly productive zone with a long history of coffee farming. This sector produces approximately 1.5 million pounds of coffee a year. Due to the favorable climate, Chito expects to produce high quantities of specialty coffee in the future and to use CafExporto to help establish an international market."

The Chito Community Blend Washed, sourced from the Zamora Chinchipe region of Ecuador, represents a collaborative effort by CafExporto to highlight the specific terroir of the Chito area. This lot is processed using the washed method, a technique that typically emphasizes the inherent acidity and clean profile of the bean by removing the fruit flesh before drying. You can learn more about how different processing methods influence the final cup profile in our educational guide.

Roasted by PT's Coffee Roasting, this coffee presents a distinct sensory experience characterized by notes of snickerdoodle, plum, and candied almond. When evaluating these specific descriptors, it can be helpful to reference a flavor wheel to better understand how these nuanced sugar-browning and stone fruit characteristics interact. Grown at 1543 masl, this Ecuadorian selection offers a focused look at the output of a dedicated community of producers working within a unique micro-climate.