Grown northwest of the province of Pinchincha in northern Ecuador, this coffee comes five small scale coffee growers. Farms in the north of Ecuador are bigger, at 15 hectares (37 acres) or more, and the area is extremely lush and in very moist conditions with a nice warm summer creating good conditions for growing coffee.

Very close to this region, near the Bellavista Nature Reserve (often known as the Cloud Forest Reserve) there is a very famous guesthouse called Alambi. People come here from all over the world to enjoy views of dozens of hummingbirds in the small garden. Some stay for just an hour while passing through, while others stay the night in this amazingly special place. The name of this guesthouse and of the coffee, Alambi, means water, and it was given to this place due to the numerous water sources that can be found in the surrounding area.

The area has a unique microclimate that is wet throughout the year and has good temperature fluctuations ranging from 53°F to 82°F (12°C to 28°C), with an average of 68°F (20°C). This weather is well-suited for coffee cultivation, which is reflected in the quality of the coffee produced.

These farmers participated in Caravela Coffee Importers' PECA education program. A team of over 40 educators work in seven coffee-producing regions with the primary goal of educating farmers and their families on best practices to increase productivity and improve quality. PECA's efforts are aimed at making the farmers more profitable. Each year, they train over 2,000 coffee producers, and make over 5,700 farm visits, covering almost 300,000 km of travel.

The Varietals
Just like apples have different varieties, and a Granny Smith tastes different than a MacIntosh, coffee also has different varieties, some with more unique flavors than others. The Alalmbi is made up of rare varieties, particular to Ecuador, which contribute in part to its floral aroma and fruity flavors.

Sidra: Sidra is a hybrid coffee variety made from a cross between a Bourbon and a Typica variety (themselves genetically relatively closely related). Sidra can express a very unique fruity, floral characteristics. It has the dense sugars and heavier body of a Red Bourbon variety, and the acidity typically associated with a Typica variety.

Mejorado:
Genetic testing by World Coffee Reseach revealed that Mejorado is actually a Bourbon variety cross-pollinated with an Ethiopian Landrace variety.