Eli Espinoza is a second-generation farmer from the highlands of Cajamarca. Before establishing his own farm, Eli worked on nearby farms to help provide for the family, while saving for his own land.

Today, he and his wife farm around four hectares of caturra, bourbon, java, geisha and heirloom varieties.

Eli prefers naturals — he's convinced they give him the best cup. In 2019, knowing his selective picking deserved better scores than he was getting, he started experimenting: longer fermentations on his washed lots first, then honeys, then naturals. The protocol he landed on that year transformed his quality, and it's been his standard ever since.

Cherries are picked deep, ruby-red ripe, then washed and floated at his processing area to remove any defects. The remaining cherry is covered with tarpaulin and fermented whole in tiled tanks for an extended 48 hours.

The coffee is sun-dried briefly to shed surface moisture, then moved onto raised beds inside a parabolic dryer for a slow 30-day finish.

Tasting Notes: Blueberry | Dates | Cacao Nibs
Processing Method: 48hr fermented natural
Varietal: Caturra
Importer: Chacra