Specialty Coffee refers to high quality coffee varieties and is linked to all aspects of the coffee chain from the farmer to the barista. It includes heirloom varieties of the coffee plant that have often been cultivated for many generations combined with excellent growing conditions and care. In other words, it’s not your grandmother’s cup of Folgers (no offense to grandma or Folgers). A green coffee is designated “specialty coffee” based on an 80+ cupping score (out of a 100 point scale), which differentiates specialty coffee from commodity coffee. The primary goal of specialty coffee, from seed to cup, is quality and character. You can find more information at the Specialty Coffee Association here.
Finca El Dorado and sister farm Finca Eliza have six varieties of organic specialty coffee: Geisha Verde, Geisha Amarillo, SL-28, Wush Wush, Bourbon Sidra, and Tipica Mejorada.
It’s interesting to note that Geisha is also known as Gesha. As reported in the Daily Coffee News, the origin of Gesha is believed to be in Ethiopia, and “While there is no Geisha Mountain in Ethiopia, there is one called Gesha, typically pronounced more like GEH-shah than GAY-shah.”
Finca El Dorado and Finca Eliza were both founded in 2017, and after years of preparation, we were pleased to have had our inaugural harvest in June 2021 qualify for entry to the international Cup of Excellence in Ecuador. Our exceptional beans can be found and purchased through the contact page of our website.
We are located in a unique area in the province of Loja in southern Ecuador, nestled between mountainous slopes of the Andes, which are frequented most afternoons by a dense fog that reaches from the Pacific.
Finca El Dorado and Finca Eliza are committed to having a positive impact on the local environment. In addition to using only the healthiest farming practices, we run the farms honoring both the local Indigenous practices of cultivating coffee coupled with biodynamic and permaculture principles. We’re committed to the integrity of the soil and surrounding ecosystem to ensure that it’s healthy today and for the next seven generations.
Our commitment to cultural sensitivity and fostering a respectful relationship with the land and community is demonstrated in several ways. Firstly, we offer stable employment and housing as needed. Additionally, we foster a reciprocal relationship with local farmers, exchanging farming practices and techniques. We draw inspiration from diverse farming systems like biodynamic and permaculture. Lastly, as our company prospers from our harvest, we eagerly anticipate providing financial support for community-driven goals.
