Ilse Coffee

Ecuador | Abel Salinas

Abel Salinas grows Mejorado at 1,890 MASL in Saraguro, Loja, on his 7-hectare Finca Arashi. The washed process—hand-picked cherries floated for quality, depulped, dry-fermented 24 hours, then dried on raised beds for 15 days—produces remarkable clarity and a vibrant cup. Expect nectarine, quince, lemon, and pear with delicate white flowers and a gummy candy sweetness. This is Ilse's third year with Abel, a first-generation producer who won COE 1st place in 2021 and consistently delivers exceptional quality.