The Mejorado Arabica coffee variety gained worldwide attention in 2020 during Ecuador’s Taza Dorada (“Golden Cup”) green coffee competition. A legendary farm, La Florida, run by two young producers, not only won the championship but also secured 5th, 6th, and 13th place, marking an unprecedented achievement with four winning entries.

The champion coffee was a unique variety called Mejorado. While this variety has been widely cultivated in Ecuador for decades, it remains rare in other Central and South American coffee-growing regions. Like Sidra, it originated in Ecuador before spreading elsewhere. For many years, farmers referred to this variety by its traditional name, Typica Mejorado, believing it to be an improved version of Typica. However, recent genetic testing by U.S. institutions revealed that it is not derived from Typica but rather a hybrid of Bourbon and an Ethiopian landrace. To accurately reflect its genetic background and avoid confusion, the name was adjusted—dropping "Typica" and retaining only Mejorado, based on its Spanish pronunciation, Me-ho-ra-do.

Mejorado’s flavor profile is distinctly different from Typica. It is often compared to Geisha, but rather than simply likening it to Geisha, it is more accurate to say that its flavors are equally complex and exceptional. Mejorado exhibits notes of apricot, citrus, lychee, floral aromas, nougat, dried peach, and caramel—a rare combination that brings together the best characteristics of both East African and Latin American coffee varieties.

Justin Coffee carefully selects various Arabica varieties to craft drip coffee, including Villa Sarchi, Heirloom, Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Pacas, SL28, SL34, Tim Tim, and other world-renowned specialty coffee varieties. To enhance your coffee experience, Justin Coffee prints the bean variety information on the packaging, allowing you to know which coffee variety you are savoring. While flavors may vary due to multiple factors, this gives us a glimpse into the vast and diverse world of coffee beans.