Seven summits to Intag Valley

Pepe Jijón spent years as a mountain guide and solo climber before settling in Ecuador's Intag Valley. He's since built Finca Soledad, 4 hectares of coffee within a 120-hectare pocket of rainforest at 1,515 masl in Imbabura Province, into one of Ecuador's more interesting small farms. The farm employs single mothers from the local community, and Pepe runs it with the same methodical, research-driven approach he brought to mountaineering.

Mejorado

Ecuador's standout variety, and despite the name, unrelated to Typica. Mejorado is a cross between Bourbon and Ethiopian Landrace, with a reputation for vigour, disease resistance, and strong cup quality. Finca Soledad grows it alongside Geisha and Sydra, all in small volumes, production here is limited, and availability reflects that.

Tyoxidation

Developed by Pepe over several years of experimentation, the Washed Tyoxy process runs aerobic and anaerobic fermentation in sequence. Ripe cherries first ferment in open air to encourage natural oxidation, then are pulped and sealed in tanks for 48 hours before drying for 20 days in a mix of direct and indirect sunlight. The result retains the clarity of a washed coffee while adding layers of sweetness and complexity, a technically grounded process rather than a trend.