Ilse Coffee

Ilse Coffee

Colombia | Diana Quinayas

Diana Quiñayas tends a one-hectare farm in Los Robles, San Agustín, Colombia at 1,950 MASL, where she grows Geisha varietals with meticulous care learned from her father's early lessons in responsibility. The washed process involves selective hand-picking at peak ripeness every three weeks, followed by 40 hours of dry fermentation in majolica tanks and 15–20 days of drying. The cup delivers big florals layered with tropical fruit—bergamot, orange sherbert, and mango—in a complex, expressive profile. Quiñayas has built this micro-lot from just 600 trees and recovering Geisha plants, consistently producing some of the roastery's most memorable coffees year after year.

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Colombia | Santiago Salas

Santiago Salas's Chiroso comes from Finca La Marulanda in Urrao, Antioquia, at 1,800 MASL—a plot Santiago planted in 2023 after returning to his family's countryside roots. Processed using the Cochadas method, cherries are depulped into fermentation tanks daily with minimal water, fermented 4–5 days, then washed and dried for 12 days, yielding a cup that's ripe and fruit-forward. Expect nectarine, jackfruit, orange, and coconut cream—a lush, aromatic profile that captures the high elevation and careful fermentation. This is a young producer's carefully crafted micro-lot worth seeking out.

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Decaf Colombia | Monkaaba

From the Monkaaba producer network in San Agustín, Colombia, this decaf grows at 1,600–1,900 MASL and uses ethyl acetate decaffeination after a meticulous sugarcane-washed process involving cherry and seed fermentation. Expect a sweetness-forward cup with brown sugar, wafer cookie, and subtle citrus notes, wrapped in a soft, round body. It's a decaf that refuses compromise—proof Ilse's commitment to sourcing volume from trusted partners doesn't mean settling on quality.

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Ecuador | Jose & Pepe Jijon & Francisco Vintimilla

This washed Mejorado grows at 2,222 meters in Ecuador's southern Loja region on Fincas Del Putushio, a biodynamic farm operated by father-and-son team Jose and Pepe Jijon. Cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness, depulped same-day, then washed thoroughly and dried 30 days on shaded raised beds—a meticulous process that delivers exceptional clarity. The cup is crisp and refined with pronounced white flower and green apple notes, white nectarine, and a lingering peach finish, anchored by high, well-balanced acidity and floral layers. A pristine expression of terroir and varietal character from a producer committed to biodynamic, organic farming.

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Ethiopia | Chelbesa One

From the renowned Chelbesa washing station in Gedeb, Yirgacheffe, this coffee is sourced from around 1,000 smallholder farmers at 1,950–2,200 MASL. The washed process—featuring 48–72 hours of dry fermentation followed by 7–10 days on raised beds—delivers a clean, fruit-forward cup. Expect ripe stone fruit (peach jam), floral brightness (jasmine), and zesty citrus (limeade, sweet orange). Chelbesa's reputation and SNAP's meticulous cherry selection make this a standout expression of Yirgacheffe's classic complexity.

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Ethiopia | Danche

From the Gedeb region of Ethiopia's Gedeo zone, this washed coffee grows at elevations up to 2,200 MASL on smallholder farms delivering to the Danche washing station. The washed process—featuring 96-hour dry fermentation after depulping, then 12–14 days of raised-bed drying—yields clean, refined fruit with pointed acidity and layered complexity. Tasting notes include watermelon, ripe peach, lemon-lime, and delicate florals. This is a standout lot that exemplifies what modern Ethiopian washed coffees can deliver: brightness, clarity, and fruit-forward character without sacrificing nuance.

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Ethiopia | Shoondhisa

From Shakisso in Guji, Ethiopia, this natural-process coffee grows at 2000–2150 MASL on small organic farms managed by 35 smallholders, processed at the Suke station by Ture Waji, founder of Sookoo Coffee and known as "The King of Guji." The natural process contributes to its signature cleanliness and fruit-forward profile—uncommon for the method. Expect berry jam, lime leaf, candied stone fruit, delicate florals, and pronounced sweetness. Ture's reputation rests on producing some of Ethiopia's cleanest natural coffees, and this lot showcases why: peak-ripeness cherries dried whole on raised beds in a semi-forested agroforestry setting.

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Kenya | Kainamui AA

Kainamui washing station sits at 1,650 MASL on the slopes of Mt. Kenya in Kirinyaga County, where 2,000 small-holder farmers—many with just 200 trees—deliver cherries year-round. The washed process emphasizes cleanliness and complexity: cherries are floated, depulped, density sorted, then dry fermented for 24 hours before a second 12–24 hour fermentation post-wash, followed by extended soaking and 10–15 days on drying beds. The result is ripe, vibrant fruit—blackberry juice, black currant, raspberry, and orange—with the bright acidity that defines exceptional Kenyan coffees. Established in 1963 and part of the New Ngariama Farmers Cooperative, this station leverages Mt. Kenya's cool climate and glacier-fed water to produce one of the season's standout Kenyan lots.

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Mexico | Agua Mariposa

Agua Mariposa is a community lot from Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón in Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca, sourced from multiple micro-farms at 1,600–1,800 MASL. The washed process involves fermentation in cherry, followed by 48–72 hours of wet fermentation and 14–17 days of drying on raised beds. The blend of Bourbon, Caturra, and Oro Azteca yields a sweet, round profile with good structure—notes of drinking chocolate, orange, cherry, and a lingering almond finish. Sourcing from Mazateca is challenging due to tiny farm sizes and language barriers, but this lot represents the region's distinctive character and quality potential.

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Primary Espresso | Colombia

This espresso comes from Yensi Sanchez's farm in El Paraíso, Honduras, near the Nicaraguan border, where Parainema varietal grows at 1,500 MASL. Cherries are harvested ripe, depulped, then undergo 38-hour dry fermentation before 20–25 days of covered sun-drying—a process that builds body and sweetness. The cup delivers comforting milk chocolate with subtle tropical fruit notes. Yensi is a third-generation producer who inherited and expanded the land from her father; this is Ilse's first year sourcing from her farm after a farm visit.