The cup exhibits - soft aroma, with a bight crisp acidity, light but syrupy mouthfeel, rich with a round balance. Orangy fruit (zest) and milk chocolate. Medium body and finish.
Per 250g pack - not the usual smaller 227g
Additional information:
Coffee: Quebrada Valley Organic
Farm: 37 smallholder farmers
Varietal(s): Bourbon, Catimor, Tipica and Caturra
Processing: Fully washed
Owner: 37 smallholder farmers
City/Town: Cusco
Region: Quebrada Valley, Yanatile district (Calca province)
Country: Peru
Certification: Organic (UK4)
This coffee is made up from Lots grown by 37 smallholder farmers in and around the fertile Quebrada Valley, in the Yanatile district of Peru’s southern highlands. It is the area’s main legal crop, and as such plays an important role as the most profitable alternative to growing Coca – the plant used to produce cocaine, which is frequently grown (illegally in Peru) in the same areas as coffee.
These small farms are located at between 1,200 to 1,900 metres above sea level in the steep Andean valleys in the region around Cusco. Most are traditional family run operations, which have been passed on from generation to generation of farmers. All are fully organic certified and their 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 runs from March until August. All of the family usually take 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 by our partners at origin, Café Verde/HVC, before being included in the overall Lot - Café Verde/HVC are 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 Score
Clean cup: 6
Sweetness: 7
Acidity: 7
Mouthfeel:6
Flavor:7
Aftertaste:7
Balance:7
Overall:6
Correction +36
Total 89
Brewing Notes:
Filtered: Yes
Espresso: Yes
