Juan Peña, Yacuri Farm

The Details
Country: Ecuador 
Producer: Juan Peña
Farm: Yacuri
Varietal: Typica Mejorado
Process: Washed
Notes: Cotton Candy Grapes, White Florals, Berries

Juan Peña’s journey into coffee began with precision—first as a rose grower, then as one of Ecuador’s most exacting producers. At Hacienda La Papaya, he built a reputation for meticulous farming, data-driven processing, and a deep commitment to varietal clarity. While coffees from La Papaya are among the most sought after, at Preface we are equally drawn to the overlooked—to farms and producers still finding their voice. Through Cafexporto, the export company he co-founded, Peña extends this philosophy beyond a single estate, supporting producers across southern Ecuador with shared infrastructure, technical knowledge, and a unified pursuit of quality.

Yacuri is one such project—one of Peña’s newest farms, set where the Andes meet the Amazon within a protected, biodiverse landscape. In many ways, it feels like a younger sibling to La Papaya—still growing, still finding its footing. Yet even in its early years, with relatively young coffee trees, Yacuri shows remarkable promise. At 1,300–1,800 meters, warm days and cool nights slow the ripening of the fruit, allowing sugars and structure to develop with quiet precision. The cup reflects this youth with a softer expression than La Papaya—rounded acidity, a gentle, almost cotton candy sweetness reminiscent of cotton candy grapes, and a delicate frame of white florals and berries, lending itself as an ideal coffee for spring into summer.