FILTER | PERU | GILBER HUAYLLAS | PEACH & APRICOT (250g)

Origin: Peru

Region: Pacaybamba, Incahausi, Cusco

Process : Washed and dried in Honey for 36 hours

Varieties: SL9 Geisha Inca

Producer:  Gilbert Huayllas

Altitude : 2300m

Tasting notes: Peach, apricot, jasmine, citrus

* 250g bag of pure bliss! 

Gilber Huayllas recently acquired this farm located at a very high altitude - he has seen the yield of his Geisha variety coffee trees double in the last two years, as the plants went from 3 to 4 years old.

This increased production allowed him to participate in the *Cup of Excellence* (CoE) competition in 2025, where he achieved third place in only his third year of competition. The 180-kilo batch shown here represents what remains of his CoE-winning Geisha harvest this year!

Gilber learned his trade from his father, Feliciano, one of the founders of the Pacaybamba treatment station (*beneficio*) and a respected figure in the community.

The precision of the fermentation and the cleanliness of the processing are fully revealed in this cup: we find the classic notes of floral citrus and bergamot, enriched with that fruity touch characteristic of the terroir.

We had the opportunity to document the harvest according to the *Ayni* tradition on Gilber's *chacra* (farm): members of the Pacaybamba community traveled to the highest farm in the region to pick the peas. It was a wonderful experience to see that, despite the challenging conditions, the work proceeded smoothly and cooperatively, followed, of course, by a shared meal.

“Geisha Inca” is the common name given to the SL9 variety (an Ethiopian heritage variety) which has mutated locally over the decades. Long neglected due to its low yield, it is now more widely cultivated thanks to expert quality management; Fredy plants these exceptional varieties at even higher altitudes, achieving excellent results and generating beneficial spin-offs for the community.

The members of each committee of the Incahuasi cooperative share a common Inca ancestry and culture. True to the Inca tradition of shared labor within the community, the members of the Incahuasi cooperative still apply the methods of *Minka* (sharing work on community infrastructure) and *Ayni* (mutual aid and daily collaboration among farmers). Through this collaboration, each farmer's practices are refined and improved while respecting Inca tradition.

The producers of the Incahuasi cooperative share common agroforestry methods. The cooperative provides them with agronomists to advise them and offer knowledge and technical support regarding the use of organic compost and fertilization. These interventions take place twice a year, at the flowering and ripening stages of the coffee cherries. Weeding and pruning are carried out after the rainy season, between May and August. Due to the pronounced dry season that coincides with the harvest (September to December), irrigation is ensured by the numerous water sources provided by the region's characteristic mountainous terrain.

Many farmers separate their coffee plantations from their other crops, planting only shade trees between the coffee trees. Native species, such as cedro, tarco, robel, and yanay, are primarily preferred for this shade, helping to preserve the ecosystem and insect populations.

The harvest in the Incahuasi Valley is the latest in Peru, due to the very high altitude and the unique, isolated climate of this area southwest of Cusco. Beginning in September, the harvest reaches its peak in October; it continues into November for plots located at the highest altitudes.the last harvests taking place in December.

Although the pronounced dry season allows for the production of "natural" coffee (dried with the pulp), most of the coffee from the Incahuasi cooperative is processed using the wet (washed) method. However, thanks to the consistently dry conditions and the high altitude, the "dry honey" fermentation method (dry fermentation of the mucilage) is also used.

Fully ripe cherries are harvested and then soaked in water before pulping to remove unripe or insect-damaged fruit. Once this sorting is complete, the cherries are pulped and placed in clean fermentation tanks, where they ferment dry, without the addition of water, bathed in their own mucilage. The cool climate stabilizes this process and reduces the fermentation time to between 24 and 36 hours. Dry fermentation also limits the impact of wastewater on the surrounding environment.

After fermentation, the coffee is thoroughly washed and then spread out on raised drying beds. The parchment coffee is turned regularly—five to six times a day—in the cool air of this altitude (approximately 2,300 meters above sea level). Drying at this altitude takes between eight and twelve days to reach a stable moisture content of 10 to 11.5%.

Once dried, the coffee is transported to the Incahuasi cooperative headquarters in Andahuaylas, where it is analyzed and graded according to its quality. Storage takes place at an altitude of over 2,800 meters, under very stable conditions of coolness and humidity.