San Ignacio - February & March 2023

Limited Edition Speciality Coffee

In the northwestern Cajamarca region of Peru, farmers in the small village of San Ignacio produce exquisite coffees thanks to the micro-climates from the surrounding mountains. This region is beautifully diverse and made up of numerous independent smallholders. Large coffee estates are rare, so instead of focussing on producing large quantities, growers work to produce top quality coffees which have become well sought after.

Grown in the cool shade of the dense forest cover at 1300-1890masl, the coffee cherries are picked by hand between May at September when they are at their most ripe. Varieties of Bourbon, Catimore, Caturra and Pache are collected for processing.

How can a micro-lot contain so many varietals? The crop varieties are first separated to create individual lots of each kind, the cherries are then fermented in wooden tanks made from Romerillo trees (farmers are only allowed to use natural fallen trees as logging Romerillo trees is not allowed). Because the texture of this wood is better at conducting head generated by the fermentation, this helps to ensure an even temperature throughout the tank. The cherries from each crop are then washed and dried before they are all combined back together ready for export. 

This unique process is then highlighted in the cup as this coffee contains a bounty of flavours. As soon as the coffee touches the palette, some incredible yellow plum notes burst to life accompanied by a sweet yet juicy hint of apricot. As the coffee cools, it reveals a marshmallow like acidity making this a sweet and delicate cup to enjoy.