Leonidas Asdrubal Apolo Honey

Aromas of raisin, nectarine, and a hint of violet introduce this juicy cup. Notes of candied almond, grilled lemon, and milk chocolate are accompanied by red grape acidity. Grilled lemon and cardamom linger in the finish.

Details

Producer: Leonidas Asdrubal Apolo Farm: Nueva Vida Region: Puyango, Loja Altitude: 1,250 masl Varietal: Sarchimor, Acauã Process: Honey Roast: Light-Medium Notes: Candied Almond, Grilled Lemon, Raisin

The Story

Nueva Vida is truly a small-scale family operation. Aside from Asdrubal, his daughter Mireya, and her husband Freddie, the family employs 3-4 pickers during harvest. Asdrubal provides them with a weekly wage rather than paying based on the weight of cherries picked.

All his coffee cherry is honey processed on raised and covered beds. The cherry is floated and then fermented in covered tanks for 70 hours. It is then depulped without water and taken straight to the raised beds where it is rotated during a two-week drying period. The current lot is predominantly Sarchimor and Acauã.

Direct Trade

Along with his daughter, Mireya, and her husband Freddie, Asdrubal works his five-hectare farm near Puyango in Loja, the southwesternmost region in Ecuador. Fifteen years ago he had a different farm in a neighboring area that was destroyed by frost. Asdrubal has always loved coffee, so when he had the opportunity in 2017 to buy this farm he didn’t hesitate. His father had taught him about coffee production as a teen. He used to manually crush-mill and sell to the local market until Caravela arrived in the area.

Following our discovery of Asdrubal's coffee via Caravela in 2022, we jumped at the chance to visit the farm in September 2023. This is the third harvest that we have purchased directly from Asdrubal, and we are pleased to report that his output has more than doubled since last year!

Produced by Leonidas Asdrubal Apolo in the Puyango region of Loja, Ecuador, this lot showcases the unique potential of the Sarchimor varietal. Cultivated at 1250 masl, the coffee undergoes a honey process, a technique that often bridges the gap between the clean profile of washed coffees and the intense sweetness of naturals by leaving a portion of the fruit mucilage on the bean during drying.

Roasted by PT's Coffee Roasting, this specific selection presents a distinct sensory profile featuring notes of candied almond, grilled lemon, and raisin. When evaluating these characteristics, drinkers may find it helpful to reference the flavor wheel to better identify the nuances inherent in this Ecuadorian harvest. By balancing the structural acidity of the lemon notes with the deeper, sugar-browning qualities of almond and raisin, this coffee offers a compelling look at how regional terroir and careful processing influence the final cup.