Introduction to the characteristics of coffee flavor and taste in the fragrant Santa Cruz Manor of Ecuador

The Republic of Ecuador is located in northwestern South America. It is bordered by Colombia in the northeast, Peru in the southeast and the Pacific Ocean in the west. It covers an area of 256370 square kilometers and the coastline is about 930km long. The equator runs through the north of the border, and Ecuador means "equator" in Spanish. Ecuador is divided into the western coast, the central mountains, the eastern Amazon River basin and the four central regions of the Galapagos Islands with diverse climatic conditions.

The western coastal plain belongs to the tropical rain forest climate, with an average temperature of 23-25 ℃.

The central Andes. The intermountain basin in this area belongs to the savanna climate, and the mountain belongs to the subtropical forest climate, with perennial snow above 4000 meters above sea level. The average annual precipitation is about 1000 mm, the rainy season is from December to June, and the dry season is from July to November.

The eastern Amazon. With a tropical rain forest climate, it is humid and rainy all the year round, with an average annual precipitation of between 2000mm and 3000mm in the central mountains: after entering Ecuador from Colombia, the Andes is divided into the eastern and western Cordillera mountains, with a plateau high in the north and low in the south, averaging between 2500 and 3000 meters above sea level. The Andes run through the middle of the border. The ridges crisscross, dividing the plateau into more than ten intermountain basins. The most important are the Quito basin and the Cuenca basin in the south. There are many volcanoes and frequent earthquakes in the territory. The famous Kotopaxi volcano, 5897 meters above sea level, is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. Chimborazo Mountain in central Ecuador, 6262 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in Ecuador, Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador. It is 6384.1 kilometers from the center of the earth to the top of the mountain. Mount Chimborazo, located in the West Cordillera in the Andes, has long been mistaken for the highest peak in the Andes. It is a dormant volcano with many craters and glaciers at the top of the mountain, which is above 4694 meters and snows all the year round.

The Arabian Coffee Tree was first introduced to Ecuador (Ecuador) in 1952 and its coffee is of good quality, especially the coffee harvested in early June. Ecuadorian coffee beans can be divided into two varieties: Galapagos and Gigante, both of which have the characteristics of large granules and heavy weight. Ecuadorian coffee can be divided into first class (No.1) and super excellent (ExtraSuperior) according to its quality. They are mainly exported to the Nordic countries of Scandinavia.

The main problem facing coffee producers is their efforts to maintain stable quality. The coffee in the area is generally well-balanced and refreshing, with a unique aroma Ecuador is one of the few countries in South America that produces both Arabica and Robbins. However, as the land suitable for Arabica coffee trees is decreasing, the production of Robbins coffee is gradually increasing. The best Arabica coffee comes from the Andes, especially the Chanchagu Valley (ChanchamgoValley), which is divided into two mountains, extending from south to north to the well-known representative coffee in central Ecuador: Galapagos and Gigante.

Between Colombia and Peru, Ecuador, which passes through the equator, is one of the few countries in South America that produces both Arabica and robusta coffee (for the difference between Arabica and robusta coffee, please refer to: types of coffee beans). Ecuador is the highest Arabica coffee plantation in the world.

In fact, Ecuador means "equator" in Spanish. Due to the use of old-fashioned traditional harvesting and handling methods, Ecuadorian coffee is not included in the list of boutique coffee, so it is generally rare and unfamiliar.

Ecuador faces the Pacific Ocean, and near the equator, about 900km off its west coast, near the equator at 90 degrees west longitude, there is a Galapagos Island, also known as Cologne, which produces the famous Galapagos coffee. In order to protect the natural ecology, the Ecuadorian government has designated the archipelago as a national park and banned the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals, so coffee in the Galapagos Islands is recognized as organic coffee.

Galapagos Islands coffee flavor is more balanced and neutral, moderately mellow, with a little obvious but pleasant acidity, with a special aroma. They are mainly exported to the Nordic countries of Scandinavia. Because it is rarely seen on the market, not many people talk about this coffee in the mid-15th century, and there are legends about enchanted mysterious islands among fishermen fishing in the Pacific Ocean in western South America. It is said that the islands can sometimes be seen clearly from a distance, but when the ship approaches, it disappears again; sometimes it looks like a galleon, sometimes it shows the shape of a witch. Fishermen call these islands "Devil Island", thinking that they may be ruled by demons like the sea banshees in the Odyssey. And this island, which fishermen call "Magic Island", is today's Galapagos Islands.