Ecuador | Lugmapata

Lugmapata is a family-run farm located in Pallatanga, Ecuador, and is led by the Merino family. Situated at an altitude of 1,700–1,900 MASL, the farm primarily grows Typica Mejorado and Sidra. This particular lot is a separation of Mejorado, harvested on July 19th, 2024. We’ve long admired the coffees from this farm, and this marks our first season collaborating with the Merino family. The cup is incredibly fruit-forward and expressive, with refreshing notes of strawberry preserves, hibiscus, grape, and eucalyptus.

The Merino family planted their first trees in 2012 and saw their first harvest in 2016. We fondly remember tasting a sample of their Mejorado in 2017 and being blown away by its clarity and intensity of flavor. The family is meticulous in their operations, continuously refining their harvest and processing practices. In addition to their farm, they run a community nursery where they provide local farmers with seedlings and offer educational support.

Cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness and then floated three times to ensure only the best fruit is selected. They are fermented in sealed bags for 12 hours before being depulped. The seeds undergo a 48-hour wet fermentation in tiled tanks. After fermentation, the seeds are thoroughly rinsed to remove all mucilage and then dried on raised beds for 19–25 days.