Peru, to us, is the unsung hero of organic specialty coffee. It's a rising star that consistently provides us with a range of diverse flavor profiles, from the exotic to the classic.
Our primary partnership in Peru hails from the San Fernando Cooperative near Cusco. Situated amidst the breathtaking Andean mountains, this region boasts a unique climate. With elevations soaring to 2,300 and even 2,400 meters, it nurtures heirloom varieties like Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra, maintaining their exceptional quality. While many comparable regions have shifted to hybrid varieties, which we find slightly inferior, these classic strains yield the sweet and chocolaty notes like the ones found in our best-selling blends, like Driftless.
In addition to these classics, the San Fernando Cooperative has invested heavily in the Gesha variety, which is renowned for its intense citric acidity and floral aromas, offering yet another dimension to Peruvian coffee. This year, we acquired two Gesha selections, one from Don Mario Villano and the other from Cup of Excellence winner, Julio Cesar Arotaype Huayllas. Don Mario Villano's coffee presents fruit tones of fresh raspberry and hibiscus, while Julio Cesar’s coffee captivates with its sparkling key lime acidity, showcasing the exceptional quality of coffees from the Inkawasi Valley.
Coffee drying on the patio perched high among the mountains at San Fernando Cooperative.
Our second supply chain in Peru, located in the northern community of Colasay, offers coffees with a distinctly different flavor profile. Unlike the smoother and chocolate-forward Cusco coffees, these coffees are brighter, featuring complex apple and pear flavors, complemented by notes of candied nuts and delicate florals. They lend character to blends like our seasonals and Flyway, as well as depth to Big Dipper and Off Grid.
An exemplary representation of Colasay's flavor is Merci Fernandez's coffee, La Pomarrosa. For the past four seasons, we've showcased this delightful coffee. Merci is a skilled and dedicated young female farmer who plays a crucial role as a coffee cupper and quality manager in her community. La Pomarrosa offers baked apple notes, a hint of lime, and a lingering brown sugar sweetness.
Merci Fernandez and her mother, Violeta Silva.
The multitude of unique microclimates offer distinct flavor profiles making Peru a pivotal player in specialty coffee. Whether you crave a classic chocolaty cup like Driftless, a rich espresso like Big Dipper, a floral expression like Inisapata y Machayinyoc, or a sweet layered experience like Pomarrosa, Peru has it all.