Ecuador
Pepe Jijón
'Wave' Washed Panama Gesha

Reuben met Pepe back in 2015, in the early days of Finca La Soledad. Today, his coffee is one of the most celebrated in the competition scene and specialty industry.

'wave' washed process Panama Gesha

Flavour: passion fruit, mandarin, cherry, fresh hops, lemon myrtle, white tea

Body: Acidity:

Roast: omni (filter + espresso)

Very Special

This is a direct purchase, loaded with personal connection: Reuben met Pepe back in 2015, travelling together through Colombia with Caravela Coffee.

Pepe, who previously achieved fame as a mountain climber, was there to learn about coffee farming practices (he just started his own); Reuben was there to meet some dear producers (i.e. MFR) and secure some yum coffees.

Life went on, each doing their own thing.

A few weeks ago [so, in January 2026], a staff member brought in a few bags from other roasters to taste. One of them—which was delicious—listed Pepe Jijón as the producer. It took a minute to realise that it was the Pepe that Reuben met!

They reconnected and caught up.

Pepe said that his ride during the last decade has not been without hurdles. But now, he’s in a good spot: his coffee is being used in brewing competitions, as well as shared by international reputable roasters like Sey, Manhattan, Poma, Hydrangea… His story has even been featured in The Guardian.

And so, we got some of his coffee, too. This!

Pepe Jijon farm.

About Pepe Jijón

Pepe is an award-winning producer with a progressive outlook. Formerly an explorer and mountaineer, he brought a brave and open-minded approach to coffee-growing.

You can learn more about his story in this feature by The Guardian or watch this interview with Lance Hedrick.

Pepe Jijon himself.

About Finca La Soledad

Here are some words from Pepe himself (via Flower Child Coffee):

“Soledad coffee philosophy Finca Soledad was born 2010 in the remote Intag valley, in a protected United Nations World Heritage GEOPARK. The farm is 120 hectares mainly of protected or replanted forests.

We grow coffee in only 5 hectares, mejorada, Sydra, Gesha and Panamá Geisha. We work in harmony with the environment and that is where we get our inspiration from …. Nature Wave philosophy embraces our respect and understanding of the silent language of nature. We aim to transform our coffee fruits into happy beans.

In our processes we try to cause the least amount of stress to the living embryo so that when finally roasted it shines, brings synergy to the cup and happiness to the responsible consumer. The variables we use, environment, temperature, time, pressure are modulated without extreme changes to avoid stress. We focus on energy. For drying we apply the same care, using only indirect sunlight and extended times to control water activity with both washed or natural, great care day and night is required.

Every lot we make is unique. An expression of the moment, the energy of the pickers, the balance of microorganisms, the weather…. All interact to create a work of art of nature & nurture”

Pepe Jijon farm.

About the variety: Gesha (Panama)

Great info via World Coffee Research:

“This variety was originally collected from coffee forests in Ethiopia in the 1930s. From there, it was sent to the Lyamungu research station in Tanzania, and then brought to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Central America in the 1953, where it was logged as accession T2722. It was distributed throughout Panama via CATIE in the 1960s after it had been recognized for tolerance to coffee leaf rust. However, the plant’s branches were brittle and not favored by farmers so it was not widely planted.

The coffee came to prominence in 2005 when the Peterson family of Boquete, Panama, entered it into the "Best of Panama” competition and auction. It received exceptionally high marks and broke the then-record for green coffee auction prices, selling for over $20/pound.

There is significant confusion about Geisha because there are multiple genetically distinct plant types that have been referred to as Geisha, many of which share similar geographic origins in Ethiopia. Recent genetic diversity analyses conducted by World Coffee Research confirm that Panamanian Geisha descendent from T2722 is distinct and uniform. It is associated with extremely high cup quality when the plants are managed well at high altitude, and is known for its delicate floral, jasmine, and peach-like aromas.“

Pepe Jijon - Gesha Panama plant.

Geisha or Gesha?

"The spellings Geisha and Gesha are often used interchangeably, relating to the fact that there is no set translation from the dialects of Ethiopia to English. The coffee was first recorded in germplasm records with the spelling “Geisha,” and coffee researchers and germplasm banks have mostly maintained that spelling over many decades, leading that spelling to be promoted and used first in the coffee industry.

The coffee was originally collected in Ethiopia in a region close to a mountain whose name is most commonly rendered in English as Gesha. Consequently, many in the coffee industry have preferred to rescue that spelling.”

About the process: ‘wave’ washed

‘Wave’ is a term coined by Pepe, and it refers to the continuous temperature wave that goes from high (in the fermentation tanks) to low (in refrigerated drying rooms). This is supposed to keep the coffee ‘embryo’ alive and highlight the expression if each variety/cherry lot.

This coffee follows the classic washed process, where cherries are harvested and depulped on the same day, then fermented in tanks and thoroughly washed using fresh spring water.

The beans are subsequently dried slowly over 30 days on covered raised beds to ensure even moisture reduction and optimal flavour development. Most of this stage happens in an air-conditioned, dark room.

Pepe Jijon farm - a worker carrying a cherry sack in the forest.

Learn everything about this coffee:

Ethical, traceable sourcing

This page has all the sourcing information (variety, process, region, story, importer, and more) that our importers share with us, and give us permission to use.

The transparency helps us talk confidently about the quality and background of our product, and it helps you know exactly what you’re buying.

Learn more:
Coffee page transparency legend
Our coffee philosophy
Our business approach

Fresh harvest coffee

We only source and roast coffee from each country’s latest harvest season (so the green coffee is never older than 1 year from the time of picking, processing and packing). This ensures the sensory qualities are always at their peak and unaffected by excessive ageing.

Roasted for espresso and filter (best enjoyed black)

Roast style: omni. Omni roasts are designed to brew and taste great both as espresso and filter. Our omni single origins generally sit on Agtron values in the ~70-60 value range. So, technically, they are somewhere in the lighter side of the medium spectrum.

Designed for espresso and filter brewing. Best enjoyed black.

Learn more:
Our Loring Kestrel S35 roaster
Our roasting style and approach

Best brewed within days 15-49 post-roast

The ‘fresh is best’ saying doesn’t apply to coffee (contrary to popular belief). Waiting before opening and brewing your bag of whole coffee beans helps develop peak flavour and acidity.

But heads up: if you buy pre-ground coffee, brew it as soon as possible.

Learn more:
Our recommended brewing window

Try our custom brewing recipes

Our recipes and ratios are tailored to our coffee sourcing and roasting styles, bringing the best flavour and feel out of each coffee.

For pour over, immersion, and other filter brewing styles, check our brew guides.
For our espresso single origins, we recommend a coffee:yield ratio of 1:3:

Dose: 20g ground coffee
Yield: 60g espresso
Total brew time: ~24-28 seconds

This is just a starting point! We encourage you to experiment, taste, and adjust to find the recipe that you enjoy the most.

Learn more:
Our espresso brew guide (single origin)
Brewing ratio calculator

Packaging and sustainability

Bags: ABA-certified home compostable (AS 5810-2010)
Labels: recyclable
Valves (only on +250g bags): general waste
Box and tape (online orders): recyclable

Learn more:
Our packaging

Producer: Pepe Jijón
Farm/Coop: Finca Soledad
Country: Ecuador
Region: Imbabura
Altitude: 1515m above sea level
Variety: Panama Gesha
Process: 'wave' washed
Harvested: November 2025
Importer: Direct Trade
Body
Acidity
Tasting notes: Passion fruit, mandarin, cherry, fresh hops, lemon myrtle, white tea
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

The location

Coffee from Ecuador

For a long time most of Ecuador’s coffee production was for commodity grade export or the production of soluble coffees (freeze dried coffee). Only in the last few years has the potential of the country’s coffee production been really explored. We’re very excited about the potential Ecuador and have some truly exceptional coffees

Farm processes

'Wave' Washed process

Machines are used to remove the flesh from the coffee cherry before being fermented in water, washed again, and finally sun dried. This process tends to result in more distinct, cleaner flavours.