Peru — Germán Cubas Perez Los Alisos Caturra & Typica (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🫐 Blackberry • 🍇 Raisin • 🍵 Oolong Tea • 🌸 Clove

DETAILS

• Producer: Germán Cubas Perez
• Farm: Los Alisos
• Region: Nueva Granja, Querocoto, Cajamarca, Peru
• Varietal: Caturra, Typica
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 2059 MASL
• Harvest: September 2024
• Size: 283g (10oz)

INTRO

Germán Cubas Perez farms Los Alisos in Nueva Granja, Querocoto, alongside his family, growing coffee beneath native shade trees that define the landscape. In this high-elevation region of Cajamarca, where coffee is a relatively recent crop, producers are crafting unique and elegant cup profiles through careful processing and a deep respect for their environment — positioning Querocoto as one of Peru's most exciting emerging origins.

The result in the cup is both complex and approachable: a vivid blackberry depth, rich raisin sweetness, the gentle tannic complexity of oolong tea, and a warming clove spice that adds remarkable length and intrigue.

THE PRODUCER

Cajamarca's Querocoto district sits in Northern Peru's high Andes at over 2,000 metres above sea level, where cool temperatures, native shade trees, and rich Andean soils create ideal conditions for slow cherry development and complex flavour potential. Germán Cubas Perez has built Los Alisos as a model of thoughtful, ecologically-grounded coffee production, cultivating traditional varieties — Caturra and Typica — that are well-adapted to these high-altitude conditions.

Peru's coffee production has garnered increasing global attention in recent years, with significant investments in processing quality and sustainable farming elevating the country's reputation. Querocoto in particular, situated within the high-altitude Cajamarca department, has emerged as a region with exceptional terroir — coffees grown here often display remarkable complexity and clarity owing to the extreme elevation and cool Andean climate.

Onyx's positive experience sourcing from Peru has inspired a long-term commitment to the country, partnering with producers who understand both the potential and the responsibilities that come with farming in these ecologically sensitive, high-altitude environments.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Los Alisos involves:

• 🍒 Selective Hand-Picking — Only fully ripe cherries are harvested, with family members participating in careful selective picking
• ✅ Sorting — Cherries are hand-sorted to remove any unripe or defective fruit before processing
• 🔧 De-Pulping — Cherries are de-pulped to separate the seed from the outer skin and mucilage
• 💧 Fermentation & Washing — Seeds ferment in tanks before being washed thoroughly in fresh water to remove all residual pectin
• ☀️ Raised-Bed Drying — Parchment coffee is dried on raised beds with regular turning to ensure even airflow and gradual moisture reduction
• ✅ Quality Assessment — Lots are evaluated for uniformity and cup quality before milling and export

The high altitude and cool Andean nights of Querocoto slow cherry maturation naturally, building sugar complexity and density in the seed. Combined with clean washed processing, the result is a coffee of precision and intrigue.

THE CUP

A coffee that rewards attention — dark, vivid blackberry fruit leads, underpinned by the concentrated sweetness of raisin. Oolong tea provides a gentle, sophisticated tannic structure in the mid-palate, whilst clove emerges in the finish with a distinctive warmth and spice. Complex, layered, and highly distinctive — equally compelling as a careful filter brew or a structured espresso.

Flavour Notes

• 🫐 Blackberry
• 🍇 Raisin
• 🍵 Oolong Tea
• 🌸 Clove