WILDER PEREZ, PERU

This is our fourth year working with wonderful Geisha lots from Peru in partnership with Cultivar, and after a year hiatus, we are beyond happy to be returning to the super start producer that is Wilder Perez. This lot two years ago won our hearts and minds, and even though we tried, we were unable to secure a follow on the next year. We stepped up our game, and worked closely with Cultivar to secure the partnership for this year, and hopefully many more to come!

A profile designed and created by Wilder Perez's careful processing, extending and developing the cups complexity and sweetness. A tropical and elegant cup with a syrupy body. Expect notes of guava and juicy pomegranate, with a bright acidity. The cup is long and complex with apple, raspberry and elderflower all combining in a syrupy nature, is that a mouthful of Percy Pigs... 

WILDER PEREZ

This is a very special lot for us, and the whole Cultivar team. This lot from Wilder Perez represents the reason why Cultivar do what they do. Ever since Cultivar started their goal was to discover the potential Peru had to offer as an origin of Specialty coffee. Cultivar knew there was more to be found than the classic “Peruvian” profile suitable for big blenders and certified buyers, we could not agree with them more, and this lot shows it.

This is the fifth year Cultivar has bought Geishas from the Amazonas region in Peru, and our fourth year of working with them on one - you may remember Abel Rodriguez and Andrés Torres - and we couldn’t be happier. Amazonas is a less known region for high quality lots than its neighbour Cajamarca, it’s usually drier and hotter which makes producing washed coffees a bit more difficult. Also the longer distance to the city of Jaén and the main coffee hubs makes it less frequently visited by technicians and agronomists which in turn leads to less knowledge and advice in good growing/processing practices.

Wilder Perez is a young and ambitious farmer in the Campo Redondo district where producing Geishas in a natural process has become popular. Due to the lack of water and a hotter climate, Campo Redondo provides suitable conditions for less-water intensive processing such as naturals. Wilder was born where he now lives and has been a coffee farmer all his life although it’s only recently that he has gotten into the higher quality coffee game. For him it’s clear the added value from Specialty Coffee can make a difference to his family of 4. The switch from selling his crops locally at lower prices to growing the highest paid variety at the moment (Geisha) in the city of Jaen and accessing different buyers has been massive and he is committed to walk the quality path for the future.

Wilder is very thorough with every step of the processing. He mentions how important it is to select just the ripe cherries off the coffee trees, then he puts these cherries into closed plastic bags for 72 hours in shade after removal of the external elements, and prior to slow drying. Monitoring these closed bags is very important to keep the quality on point so he oversees this process himself to avoid over fermentation and undesired defects.

The complex cups Cultivar found the first year with Wilder was a surprise for a producer that at the time had only produced natural Geisha for the second time in his life. Now it is something we all come to expect due to his consistent and meticulous approach, yet each time it is impressive the fruity and complex flavours found in Wilder’s coffee. Cultivar are super excited to keep working with this region and thus keep improving results and practices. Watch out for this area from Peru in coming years, it will without a doubt continue produce some of the best lots of the country!

(In partnership with Cultivar)