SHIPPING
All orders ship out fresh on Tuesdays & Thursdays
Apricot, Chocolate, Grape. Body: 5/10
INFO
Farmer: Rodríguez De Mendoza
Processing: Washed
Region: Amazonas
Farm: Nueva Esperanza
Variety: Caturra, Bourbon, Typica
Elevation: 6,600 ft
PURCHASING
Relational trade via Catalyst Trade
STORY
A note from our importer
From the city of Jaen, Peru, the roads wind and jolt, sometimes disappearing under landslides as we climb up, up, up into the towering mountains of the Amazonas region. In the city of Chachapoyas (which perches on one of the mountains like a citadel, perpetually wrapped in clouds and history), we take a quick and oh-sowelcome ice cream break, then head down the road to La Jalca Grande district (mostly ruts and mud, and often only one lane wide). To periodic urgings of “cuidado,” we lurch along, and breathe a sigh of relief when at long last, we bounce through the little town of Rodriguez de Mendoza and are welcomed by warm smiles and a hot meal. Here in this remote area, the main population of 4200 people is settled in 15 main communities scattered over the 150-square mile district of La Jalca Grande. It takes a lot of determination and intense, ongoing work just to live in this terrain, much less grow anything, and the producers of this lovely certified organic coffee do just that. In the mists and moisture of the forest, they plant and cultivate coffee trees on slopes sometimes approaching 45 degrees. Technical assistance from their cooperative on proper crop management and good environmental and agricultural practices helps guarantee the quality of their coffee. At Catalyst Trade, we are stoked to get to share this community lot with you: a stand out on the cupping table every single time and showcasing the rich terroir of the Amazonas region.
A bit of History:
The Chachapoyas people of the region have lived in these mountains since 900 CE or earlier, and many of the coffee producers here share this proud ancestry. Chachapoyas means “Warriors of the Clouds,” and as their name indicates, the ancient people defended their mountainous homes against Inca invaders as well as Spanish explorers. All through this region on farms here and there are archeological treasures known only to locals–cave paintings, stone carvings, and the ancient site of Kuelap, often called the Machu Picchu of the North.