Inti Nam - Ecuador

Apricot Jam, Lemon sorbet, Lychee

Producers: Various Smallholders 
Country: Ecuador
Region: Zamora, Pichincha
Variety: Typica Mejorado

Inti Nam means ‘the path of the sun’ in the Kichwa dialect, paying homage to Ecuador’s place as The Middle of the World. This lot is Typica Mejorado, a rare varietal grown mainly in Ecuador, which is due to its origins in the Nestlé breeding facility which was in the same region this coffee is from. At this facility the researchers would bring coffee varieties from around the world aiming to create an F1 Hybrid varietal which would have higher crop yields alongside higher cup quality. The story then follows that Don Olger Rogel – a field technician at the lab – identified two seeds which had the most desirable profiles, which he named Sidra (sometimes called Bourbon Sidra) and Typica Mejorado.

Recent genetic testing by World Coffee Research has shown that Typica Mejorado is a hybrid of Bourbon and Ethiopian Landrace (sometimes referred to as ‘Heirloom’) – although there seems to be trace of the Typica lineage it has been given the moniker ‘Typica Mejorado’!

The processing begins with the ripe, hand-picked cherries undergoing 48 hours of in-cherry fermentation (akin to a naturally processed coffee) before being pulped with further fermentation happening submerged in water (as in traditional washed processing). This elongation of the processing stage, utilising elements from the different styles leads to a vibrant and fruity cup. The in-cherry fermentation enhances the sweetness common to Typica Mejorado, leading to more jammy stone fruit characteristics. The washed elements of the processing refine the vibrant, citric acidity that’s found in this variety and, in combination with the higher sweetness and body, reminded us of a refreshing sorbet.

Grind: If you need your coffee ground, select on the dropdown. Let us know in the "Special Instructions" if there is any other specific brew method you need the coffee ground for.