Peru Pintado Huaman (Filter)

Meet Peru Pintado Huaman Milquiades. A natural Gesha from Cajamarca, which is a sentence that would've sounded made up ten years ago.

This one comes from Finca Las Tres Aguas in San Ignacio, Cajamarca, in the northern highlands of Peru, owned and run by Pintado Huaman Milquiades. He hand picks only the ripest cherries, ferments them in bags for 35 to 40 hours, then dries them slowly over around 15 days in covered drying modules. The farm is run organically the hard way: weeding by hand, living barriers on the slopes to stop erosion, compost and goat manure in the soil.

It's also the family home. Birthdays, patron saint festivals and Christmas all happen on the farm, with neighbours, communal meals and the odd bullfight. Pintado's goal with all of it is simple. Grow coffee good enough to buy a house in town so his kids can get a proper education.

Flavour notes

Jammy Red Grape. Fresh Cherry. Mild Caramel.

A natural process Gesha, dried whole with the fruit still on, which is where the jammy grape and cherry come from, with a soft caramel sweetness to round it off.

You've got questions, we've got answers.

Is this only for filter?

Yes. This one's roasted specifically for filter brewing so you get the fruit and clarity it's built for. V60, Kalita, batch brew, Aeropress or a gentle plunger, that's where it shines.

What's Gesha and why is everyone obsessed with it?

Gesha is a variety that traces back to Ethiopian landrace trees collected in the 1930s. It's famous for producing delicate, floral, fruit-forward cups and for winning a lot of competitions. It's also expensive and fussy to grow, so finding a Gesha from a smallholder in Peru at this price is a bit of a find. This one leans fruity rather than floral because it's a natural.

What does the natural process do here?

Instead of stripping the fruit off straight away, the cherries ferment and dry with the fruit intact. That's where the jammy red grape and cherry character comes from. Pintado's 35 to 40 hour fermentation and slow covered drying keep it clean rather than boozy, so you get the fruit without the funk.

Why Cajamarca?

It's Peru's main coffee region, high in the Andes with fertile soil and a cool, semi-dry climate. Most farms up there are 2 to 3 hectares and run organically because that's just how it's done. Peru has spent years being known for volume rather than quality. Coffees like this are changing that.

Will it be too fruity?

It's fruity, but it's not sharp. The mild caramel underneath gives it a sweet base, so the grape and cherry read as jammy and ripe rather than tart. If you've found some naturals too wild, this one's more polite.

How does it taste?

Jammy red grape up front, fresh cherry through the middle, and a mild caramel sweetness on the finish. Juicy, sweet and easy to drink black, with just enough going on to keep you interested cup after cup.

Specs

Origin: Peru
Region: Cajamarca (San Ignacio, Ihuamaca)
Farm/Producer: Pintado Huaman Milquiades, Finca Las Tres Aguas
Variety: Gesha
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1700 MASL
Harvest: May to October

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