ILSE COFFEE - Abel Salinas | Ecuador - Washed - Mejorado

Abel Salinas manages Finca Arashi, a 7-hectare farm located at 1,890 MASL in Saraguro, Loja. This lot is a separation of his Mejorado, harvested in August 2025. This marks our third year working with Abel, and once again, his coffee is exceptional. The cup offers remarkable clarity, showcasing a clean expression of one of our favorite varieties. We taste a vibrant range of florals and citrus, with notes of nectarine, quince, lemon, and pear with delicate white flowers and a gummy candy sweetness.

Abel is a first-generation coffee producer, having planted his first trees in

2016. He now manages a farm of 22,000 trees, growing primarily Mejorado along with some Sidra and H1 Hybrid. Abel quickly gained recognition for producing exceptional quality, and in 2021, he took 1st place in the COE with his washed Mejorado.

Cherries are hand picked at peak ripeness and floated to remove defects before being depulped. The seeds are then dry fermented for 24 hours, washed to remove the mucilage and dried on raised beds for 15 days.