Peru: Irene Herrera - La Mandarina
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About this coffee
The La Coipa district is nestled in the north east corner of the Cajamarca region of Peru. La Coipa is a fantastic coffee-producing area - the locale of Nima Juarez (El Roble and La Quebrada) whose coffee we have enjoyed in previous years, and Kelvin Guerrero (La Esmerelda) whose coffee we released earlier this year.
In 2022 Roland went to Peru for the first time, after we had purchased some coffees from there the year previous. It was his first trip with Origin Coffee Lab - who we’re now lucky enough to know well - and they headed to the La Coipa village. Through the course of the morning they walked past several coffee farms, finishing up at their destination for lunch at the house of head of Gallitos de Rocas comite, Milciades Minga… and his wife Irene Herrera!
The couple's house is a little larger than some other nearby houses, maybe because Milciades is also a carpenter. The top floor is used for drying coffee, with living space and kitchen below. Guinea Pigs are kept inside in a pen - a staple food animal in Peru, known as Cuy (pronounced Coo-ee). Alongside a big lunch by Irene, they enjoyed an excellent fruit punch made in a barrel by mixing fruit juice and the local cane sugar spirit Yonke.
