We are pleased to have a few special coffees on our list at the moment, such as the Colombian Palermo, with its intense aromas of candied fruit, which crossed the Atlantic by sailboat, or the Mexican Finca Irlanda, grown using sustainable organic methods, which offers caramelized notes with a hint of lemon.
But the one we are going to highlight today comes from Acconcharcas, in the Peruvian province of Cusco. Hold on tight, this is a story that takes us back to the time of the Incas!
This coffee comes from the Incahuasi cooperative, which won the prestigious national Cup of Excellence in 2020, took second place in 2019 and 2022, and consistently ranks in the top 10.
"Incahuasi" means "House of the Incas," as the region is considered one of the last refuges of the Incas fleeing the Spanish. But the Inca legacy is still present in the cooperative today in more than just name. It is found in their deep respect for nature and even in their working methods, where farmers from neighboring properties help one another, moving from one farm to the next to carry out successive harvests in a spirit of true reciprocal cooperation.
We are lucky enough to have one of their coffees thanks to Quinavie, a small company run by a Peruvian team consisting of a brother and sister who are continuing the family business created by their parents, who were coffee farmers. Robert is now an agricultural engineer, and his sister Ruth, who has lived in France for several years, spends her time researching and importing the best coffees she can find in Peru and neighboring countries. Like us, she is part of the collaborative roasting group The Beans on Fire.
And now, let's talk about the coffee itself and why it is so good!
The terroir at the foot of the mountains
The mountains of Acconcharcas
100% Arabica, this is a blend of the Typica, Bourbon, and Caturra varieties, typical of the region. The trees are grown at high altitude—between 1,800 and 2,300 meters—which allows for slower maturation and therefore the development of more aromas and fruity acidity. Located at the foot of snow-capped mountains peaking at 5,520 meters, the farm benefits from a stable microclimate with cool mornings and evenings and pleasant afternoons, perfect for coffee trees.
Harvesting and preparation of the coffee beans
Harvested manually, the coffee cherries are hand-picked and sorted to take only those that are ripe. They are depulped, fermented for 36 hours, washed, and spread out on drying beds. They remain there for 14 days, where they are turned regularly, until their humidity level drops to between 10 and 11.5%, which is ideal for roasting.
Drying beds, green coffee, Cusco
Once carefully roasted, the result is a round coffee with complex notes, starting with a hint of dark chocolate and ending with the freshness of apple and citrus aromas. Enjoy!
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