021 FABIAN LOMAS

Sidra is a rare coffee variety native to Ecuador, believed to be either a natural cross of Bourbon and Typica, or a hybrid developed at a Nestlé research lab once based in the region. Born in La Perla, within the Chocó Andino Biosphere Reserve just northwest of Quito, it has helped establish Ecuador as an exciting new frontier in specialty coffee. Fabian Lomas, who trained at that same Nestlé lab, has grown around 3,000 Typica Mejorado and Sidra trees on his 4-hectare farm since 2015. Cherries are depulped, fermented in mucilage for 72 hours, then washed and dried on African beds for 15 days—a careful process aimed at capturing Sidra's full character. This washed Sidra grown by Fabian Lomas offers notes of green grape and apple compote, with a long, lingering cooked pineapple sweetness.