Cusco Organic
Farm:
Various smallholder farmers
Varietal:
Bourbon Caturra Catimor Catuaí Típica
Processing:
Fully Washed and dried on patio
Altitude:
1,200 to 1,900 metres above sea level
Owner:
Various smallholder farmers
Town/City:
Cusco
Region:
Several Andean valleys in the Calca province
Warehouse:
European North American Cusco Organic is available to customers outside the UK only.
This coffee is packed in jute sacks lined with PVC Grainpro bags – an airtight storage system that preserves aroma and freshness for longer, while also allowing the coffee to breathe naturally.
This coffee is grown by various smallholder farmers in the Andean valleys of Yanatile, Ocobamba, Huayopata, Santa Ana and Chapo in the Cusco region of Peru’s southern highlands.
These small farms are located at between 1,200 to 1,900 metres above sea level and are all fully organic certified. Most are traditional family run operations, which have been passed on from generation to generation of farmers. The coffee is grown in the shade of native trees - including Pacaes, Pisonay, Yanay, Incaty, Sumbaillo, Achihua, Chalanqui, Motoy, Toroc, Lúcumas, Pashacos and Paltas trees. These provide important habitat for many indigenous bird and animal species, such as parrots, humming birds and armadillos.
The harvest usually runs from March until August, peaking in April to June. All of the family usually takes part - around five people - plus around another five temporary workers. The coffee is fully washed by each producer in the traditional manner - the bad or unripe cherries are separated by immersion in water (the ripe cherries sink), then the cherries are depulped and fermented for between 12 and 18 hours to remove the mucilage. The waste water from this process is filtered to avoid contaminating the surrounding land. The coffee is then dried in the sun on concrete patios until it reaches 12% humidity.
Each individual lot is blind cupped before being included in the overall lot. Our export partner is also working with these farmers to increase the quality (and therefore profitability) of their coffee, hosting workshops and courses, and encouraging farmers to plant more of their land with native Arabica varietals.
Cupping Date:
26 January 2012
Sweetness:
Sugary
Mouthfeel:
Juicy
Flavour:
Orange zest Dark Chocolate
Overall:
Juicy and sugary sweet, with a good body and hints of orange zest and dark chocolate. 
