Peru Simon Brown & Merlith Cruz

About this coffee

Of all the coffees we’ve tasted, this one stands out as truly exceptional. The remarkable flavours in the cup are a result of an uncommon confluence between the coffee variety, its origin and how the cherries were processed after picking. It’s a naturally processed Ethiopian heirloom variety that was fermented in a bioreactor tank using mosto as a starter culture.

It was grown by Simon Brown and Merlith Cruz on their farm, Las Etíopes, which is planted with Ethiopian varieties like Gesha, Wush Wush and this Heirloom. In addition to growing coffee, the duo are also the founders of Chacra importers. In that capacity they work with smallholders like themselves, who are committed to producing top quality lots and using carefully crafted, innovative processing methods.

“Heirloom”—also known as “landrace”—varieties are actually a group of genetically related coffee trees that still grow wild in Ethiopia today. Of course, all coffee originally came from Ethiopia, but most coffee we consume comes from plants that have been bred to increase yield and disease resistance. Because of its genetics, despite being grown in Peru, this coffee’s flavour profile is more akin to an Ethiopian coffee. We’re finding more and more genetically-Ethiopian coffee being grown in Central and South America, especially in Peru and Colombia. It’s a compelling trend from a flavour standpoint because it begs the question, how much of a coffee’s flavour comes from where it was grown—its terroir—and how much comes from its genetics?