Cusco Coffee
The Coffee Project
Welcome! In the next hour, we are going to explore the origins of coffee, why Peruvian altitude makes it delicious, the science of the perfect brew, and how to taste like a professional.
Let's Chat:
- Who drank coffee this week? •
- What kind of coffee did you drink? Do you know if it was Bourbon? Geisha? •
- Where is everyone visiting us from today? •
- What is your relationship to coffee? •
Word Bank
Legend says a goat herder named discovered coffee when his goats ate wild berries in .
The beans crossed the Red Sea, and the first organized cultivation began in around the 15th century.
Today, is the world's #1 producer by volume, followed closely by .
Four different beans
Specialty vs Commodity
While there are over 120 species of coffee, the commercial market is dominated by just two: Arabica and Robusta.
ARABICA
The exclusive choice for Specialty Coffee. Grown at higher altitudes, it offers complex acidity, sweetness, and delicate floral or fruity notes. It accounts for about 60% of global production.
ROBUSTA
Hardier, more disease-resistant, and packs nearly double the caffeine. Its harsh, bitter, and rubbery flavor profile relegates it primarily to instant coffee and cheaper commodity blends.
Species like Liberica and Excelsa are incredibly rare, making up less than 2% of global production, and are mostly consumed locally in Southeast Asia.
The World's Coffee Zones
Coffee only grows between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (The "Bean Belt").
LATIN AMERICA
Familiar and approachable. Known for chocolate, nuts, and caramel notes. Often balanced with a mild acidity.
Produces the majority of the world's Arabica coffee.
Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Geisha
Peru's Coffee Zones
NORTHERN PERU
16°C - 24°C (Cooler, high altitude)
Known for bright acidity and delicate floral notes. Highly sought after in specialty coffee.
Typica, Caturra, Bourbon
Coffee Growing Regions
The number of coffee-growing regions in Peru is consistently expanding. With more cooperatives and Peruvian coffee exporting companies emerging, the number of organic and fair trade Fincas is consistently growing as well.
Amazonas
The Amazon jungle region is often the most disregarded Peruvian coffee-growing area of Peru. However, coffee from Rodrigues de Mendoza and Chachapoyas provinces provides stellar organic coffees with notes of chocolate and velvety fruits.
Fermentation Processes
After harvesting, the cherry must be removed from the seed. The method used radically changes the final flavor profile through fermentation.
Natural
Washed
Honey
The SL09 Phenomenon
An elite, top-tier cup profile originating right out of Cusco's highest valleys.
"INCA GESHA"
For years, farmers in the Inkawasi district of Cusco noticed trees producing an unbelievably complex, sweet, and highly floral cup. Because it tasted heavily of jasmine and bergamot, local producers called it "Inca Gesha", assuming it was a mutation of the famous Geisha varietal.
However, independent World Coffee Research (WCR) genetic testing commissioned by elite roasters shocked the industry. The DNA tests revealed absolutely zero Geisha genetics. Instead, they map directly to SL09, a rare, nearly forgotten single-tree selection from the Ethiopian Legacy lineage developed by Scott Agricultural Laboratories in Kenya during the 1930s.
TERROIR
Why it thrives in Cusco: While SL09 was largely abandoned in Africa decades ago because it was a "shy bearer" (low yield) and prone to disease, it has found its absolute perfect home in Cusco's extreme geography.
- ◆Extreme Altitude: Grown exclusively on the highest Andean slopes, typically between 2,000 and 2,400 MASL.
- ◆Exceptional Terroir: Cusco's unique microclimates, volcanic soil, and glacial snowmelt water provide the exact high-stress environment required to lock in its complex sugars.
DOMINANCE
"Due to its immense quality, Cusco producers using SL09 regularly place in the top ranks of the global Peru Cup of Excellence (COE) competitions."
The Flavor Wheel
This tool organizes sensory descriptors to help us communicate the profile of a coffee during a tasting.
How to read it:
Always start from the center and move outward. Start broad, then get specific.
Attributes & References
An attribute is the descriptive characteristic (e.g., Fruity). A reference is the real-world food product used to represent that attribute (e.g., Raspberry). The World Coffee Research sensory lexicon helps calibrate tasters to these specific references.
The Science of Water
Coffee is 98% water! Pure distilled water makes flat coffee. You need chemistry.
The Magnets
Atoms and molecules in your water are attracted to flavor compounds in the coffee.
The Balance
The amount of minerals (calcium/magnesium) available to extract flavor.
The water's ability to buffer acids. Too much alkalinity = dull coffee. Too little = sour coffee.
Altitude & Temp
Temperature affects extraction speed. Hotter water extracts faster.
At sea level, water boils at 100°C (212°F). But here in Cusco (3,400m), water boils at ~89°C (192°F)!
Roast Profiles
Roasting is the critical step that develops the complex flavors within the green bean. The degree of roast greatly affects the final cup.
Physical Defects
Green coffee is rigorously sorted before export. Physical defects such as insect damage, fungus, or improper drying directly impact cup quality, often causing sour, moldy, or phenolic off-flavors.
Typica
When drinking Typica you will notice a wonderful sweetness, cleanliness and full body
Bourbon
When drinking Bourbon you will notice an inherent sweetness combined with a complexity
Caturra
When drinking Caturra you should expect bright acidity and a bit less clarity in this cup
SL28 & SL34
When drinking SL28 & SL34 you will notice a complex, citric acidity that is complemented by a nice sweet finish
Gesha
When drinking Gesha you will notice delicate floral and tea notes as well as its overall complexity
Ethiopia Heirloom
When drinking indigenous varietals produced throughout Ethiopia you will notice compelling and delicate flavors including fruit, floral and even wine
The ideal range for water hardness.