Ecuador is a small country but one that grows a very diverse range of coffees.
Arabica grows in the Andes Mountains – from the Narino, Colombia area in the North to Peru in the south. Typica and Caturra are common varieties in these regions. Locally developed hybrids with excellent cup quality, such as Bourbon Sidra and Etiopia, are also found on some farms. Arabicas from these regions tend to be high in acidity and very floral.
Robusta can be found in both the Coastal side of the Country (Guayas Province) and in the Amazon regions of the east near the border with Brazil.
Since 2016 Ecuador has been hosting a cupping competition for robustas – Taza Dorada Robusta (Robusta Golden Cup) – and quality has been rapidly increasing. Ecuador Washed Robustas often display tropical fruit flavors with very good body and sweetness. Natural robustas can show a range of berry and whisky like flavors.