05/12/2026
Ecuador Loja Natty
We taste: Blackberry, Cherry, Chocolate
Region: Quilanga & Cariamanga in Loja
Producers: Inés Jiménez, Luis Jima Pardo, and Fernando Auquilla Vega
Elevation: 1,700 - 1,800 masl
Variety: Mixed
Process: Natural
The Loja Natty is a lovely, mouthwatering, natural processed Ecuador coffee grown by three motivated producers in Loja. This is a coffee for the person who wants a fruity, silky, sweet coffee. We get notes of blackberry, cherry, and chocolate.
The farmers behind this lot are Inés Jiménez, Luis Jima Pardo, and Fernando Auquilla Vega. Their farms sit between 1,700 and 1,800 masl across the Loja region, in Quilanga and Cariamanga. On their farms they grow Typica, San Salvador, Catimor, and Catucaí varieties. The coffee cherries are picked only when they are fully ripe, fermented for 48 hours, and sun-dried in solar dryers for 25 to 30 days.
Inés Jiménez is a 75-year-old widow who has dedicated over 45 years to coffee cultivation. Previously focused on washed coffees, Inés transitioned to natural processing in 2025 due to limited labor and the ideal dry conditions of her region. She lives and works alone, tending her farm with dedication and care.
Luis Jima Pardo, 45, and Fernando Auquilla Vega, 65, come from Cariamanga, a zone equally suited for high-quality naturals. Both traditionally produced “bola” coffee lots sold to local buyers (these are low-grade naturals with poor processing destined only for the local market). In 2024, they decided to shift toward quality, selecting only ripe cherries and refining their post-harvest methods to include careful drying practices.
