Tasting Notes: Golden Raisin | Praline | Molasses | Sweet Citrus | Baking Spices | Toasted Pecan
Product Overview
- Origin : Peru
- Province: Calca
- Region: Cusco
- Municipality: Lares
- Producer: Various Smallholder Farms
- Roast Level: Light / City
- Variety: Typica, Bourbon, Catimor, Caturra
- Process: Washed
- Elevation: 1700-2100 m above sea level
- Fermentation: 14–24 hours in fermentation tanks
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Drying time: 15-20 days on raised beds and solar dryers
DESCRIPTION
Deep in the Sacred Valley of the Andes, the Lares community cultivates coffee at the intersection of ancient tradition and breathtaking geography. These steep Cusco slopes are home to about 60 Quechua-speaking families whose heritage traces directly back to the Inca. The landscape changes dramatically within a few miles — from snow-tipped ridges to the humid edges of the Amazon rainforest — and each microclimate adds complexity to the coffee.
Life here moves at a mountain pace. Most farmers walk hours each day along narrow trails to reach their plots, carrying tools, baskets, and eventually, sacks of harvested cherry back to fermentation tanks near their homes. The system of Ayni — communal labor and mutual aid — remains a cornerstone of the culture. Neighbors help one another plant, harvest, and process, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Fermentation lasts up to 24 hours in small tanks, followed by a careful 15–20 day drying process under solar dryers or on raised beds. The result is a deeply expressive coffee with a silky body, praline sweetness, and molasses depth that mirrors the generosity and resilience of the people who grow it. Each sip of Lares is an invitation to slow down, breathe the mountain air, and taste the living legacy of the Andes.
Downloadable pdf Peru Cusco Lares Community spec sheet
Available in 12 oz stand up pouches, whole bean