No amount of roasting skill or expert brewing can elevate a mediocre green coffee to one that excels on the cupping table. Superb coffee begins at the farm level, the result of coffee growers who intentionally and consistently apply best-practice methods in pursuit of quality coffee.
Grower David Flores understands this. Having been raised in a coffee-farming family, David found his true calling when he visited a coffee laboratory with his father. The experience fueled a passion in him that led to a decision as to what he would do with the rest of his life: produce a coffee so exceptional that it would stand out on a cupping table.
Fast forward several years and this young man is living his dream. David's microlot, the Peru El Morito, is impressive. The coffee is balanced and syrupy with vibrant citrus fruits like lime and mandarin orange and abundant notes of stone fruit. Some subtler grape and cherry tomato accents add complexity while brown sugar sweetness contributes to a long finish.
Harvested and processed on David's El Morito farm located near the community of San Ignacio, he built his own micro-mill where carefully harvested cherries are depulped, fermented, washed to remove the mucilage, and then gently dried on raised beds over a period of 12-18 days. While David has designed farm management and post-harvest solutions to fit his needs, he also benefits from a strong alliance with Aroma del Valle to bring his coffee to the international market and earn fair prices. Aroma del Valle is an organization established to assist producers with access to the specialty coffee market. Owing to Aroma del Valle's help, David built the drying space he needed to produce his first microlot. His youth and energy have served as an inspiration for other young producers who hope to sell coffee in the specialty coffee market.
Peru is a country of diverse climates and habitats, including the Andes mountain range. This coffee hails from the Cajamarca region, located at the northern end of the Peruvian Andes. The area offers a climate and soil highly conducive to coffee production, yet its terrain is difficult. Although this challenge calls for very clear and direct solutions, it hasn't prevented David from producing a coffee worthy of having been designated as a microlot, the El Morito. The coffee industry views Peru as a country poised to become a powerhouse in the future as more growers follow their own dreams just as David Flores has.
ORIGIN INFORMATION
Grower: David Flores
Variety: Yellow Caturra
Region: El Diamante, San Ignacio, Cajamarca, Peru
Altitude: 1700 meters
Soil: Clay minerals
Process: Fully washed and dried on raised beds
