Peru: Lali Guevarra, Rosalita Catuai

Lali Guevarra is a member of the Agua Azul producer group. This microlot was selected after we visited her and her family in August 2023. Whilst there, we went to the farm (a steep climb up from their house in the village) and her husband pointed showed us her coffee plants. He mentioned that some of the plants seemed identical to the other Catuai plants, but have a some reddish streaks to the mucilage of the fruit.

We've not seen this before, nor had Pepe, our exporter, so we asked them if they could separate them so we could compare how they cupped. We ended up scoring this lot a little higher on a blind table than the main lot, so this is what we have! We found the flavour profile a little more complex with more red fruit notes.

We have since asked a few other expert coffee producers we know if they have seen this and nobody is exactly certain what may have caused this. There were a couple of ideas and we'll keep asking people, but for now we're happy just to enjoy this delicious coffee! We have taken Lali's name for these fruit with the red tint - Rosados

Last year we had a coffee from Josely Guevarra - this is the same producer. Her full name is Lali Josely Guevarra, but she uses Lali, so we've corrected the coffee name this year.

A full sweetness of chocolate and brown sugar is balanced by a hit of cherry drops on the crisp finish, with a little shoulder of blackcurrant and apple in the background.

• Country: Peru
• Region: Cajamarca
• Producer: Lali Guevarra
• Mill: Agua Azul
• Altitude: 1,890 m.a.s.l.
• Variety: Rosalita Catuai
• Processing method: Washed

Tasting notes: Chocolate, brown sugar, cherry drops, blackcurrant, apple.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean Cup: (1-8): 6.5
• Sweetness: (1-8): 6.5
• Acidity: (1-8): 6.5
• Mouthfeel: (1-8): 6
• Flavour: (1-8): 6.5
• Aftertaste: (1-8): 6
• Balance: (1-8): 6.5
• Overall: (1-8): 6.5
• Correction: (+36): +36
• Total (max 100): 87

Roast Information
Medium: reduce the heat when you hit first crack but don’t be afraid to push it through the gap nice and quickly to bring out those berry notes. Drop just a the start of second crack.