FILTER | PERU LA MARGARITA

PERU | LA MARGARITA TASTE NOTES: Red Berries . Honey . Milk Chocolate ORIGIN: Peru FARM: La Margarita LOCATION: Ocobamba VARIETY: Bourbon PROCESSING: Fully Washed PRODUCER: Solorzano Family ALTITUDE: 1,900 m.a.s.l. Nestled at 1,900 metres above sea level in the Ocobamba subregion of Cusco, Finca La Margarita sits within one of Peru's most promising but lesser-known coffee-growing territories. The farm spans just 3.5 hectares, sheltered beneath native shade trees that not only nurture the Bourbon plants but form part of an active forest restoration programme, a commitment to the land that goes hand in hand with the family's dedication to their craft. Since José Prudencio founded the exporting network Valle Inca in 2015, farms like La Margarita have had a lifeline: fair prices, access to markets, and the support to invest back into their land and families. The Solorzano family, up to 18 members strong, many of them trained baristas or coffee specialists, have been growing and processing here since 2017, becoming a quiet model of innovation for the region. The premiums they earn go directly towards improving homes, maintaining the farm, and keeping knowledge within the community, with many of the next generation choosing coffee as their profession. At harvest, only ripe red cherries are selectively handpicked before being floated to remove any defects. What follows is where La Margarita truly distinguishes itself: a two-stage fermentation totalling 52 hours. The cherry is first pulped and fermented for 16 hours, then partially dried before a second 36-hour fermentation, a technique the family calls their slow dry. The parchment is then spread evenly across six-tier steel drying beds and dried over approximately 22 days, allowing full development of the coffee's natural character. In the cup, expect a juicy filter coffee, bright red berry acidity, sweet honey sweetness, and a finish of warm milk chocolate.