Our importing partners at Falcon have been doing great work in Peru, and this coffee shows why. Their Coffee Carbon Project, which tracked carbon emissions across different types of coffee farms and mills, was one of the big reasons we started to buy more naturally processed coffees-- the study demonstrated how (at least in Peru) the natural coffee process produces half the greenhouse gas emissions of washed coffees. Peruvian naturals are also delicious! This lot from Incawasi is no exception. It's got the perfect blend of comforting cocoa and toffee notes alongside sweet and fruity apple. It's great for the "traditional" coffee lovers out there who are ready to venture into juicier realms. This coffee comes from the Cusco region of Peru, an area that was once part of the Inca Empire. The coffee plantation is situated in the Choqesafra valley of the Incawasi district, where indigenous farmers continue traditional agricultural practices. They cultivate coffee in shaded environments while carefully managing soil health and irrigation to support the growth of the coffee trees. The coffees of this region are produced by two cooperatives, Valle Incahuasi and Cooperativa San Fernando. Together, they comprise around 1,000 members, each tending an average of 1.5 hectares of coffee with a productivity rate of approximately 20 quintals per hectare. This results in about 20 bags of green coffee per farm each harvest. The region is recognized for its high-quality coffee and, in 2020, a producer from  Incahuasi won first place in the Cup of Excellence with a washed Gesha lot. Two additional producers from the region also ranked in the top 10 that year. Each area has a centralized processing plant where coffee cherries are collected and undergo pulping, fermentation, washing, drying, and temporary storage. The coffee is then transported to a central warehouse, where quality analysts conduct sampling and physical and sensory evaluations.