Cedruyoc

Juan José Huillca, a dedicated farmer from Cusco, Peru, is celebrated for producing exceptional, high-quality coffee through innovative methods and meticulous care. Among his outstanding offerings, Finca Cedruyoc Geishas have become one of the most sought-after coffees in the region, loved for their unique flavor profiles and exceptional quality. The Fully washed method applied to this lot perfectly highlights the variety’s propensity for floral, delicate notes.

Finca Cedruyoc, owned by Juan José, is located in the Calca subregion of Cusco, Peru. He manages the 2.5-hectare farm alongside his wife, with additional help from up to five seasonal workers during harvest time. The steep, rocky terrain of Cedruyoc creates a challenging but rewarding environment where coffee plants are less susceptible to diseases and droughts.

Juan José is an agricultural technician by training and takes a scientific approach to his processing methods. He used tools like a pH meter and refractometer to discover that his farm’s tough conditions also lead to higher sugar concentrations in his coffee cherries, resulting in exceptional sweetness and complexity. This is the most noticeable in his Geisha lots.

Cultivation
An advocate for sustainable farming, Juan José prepares bioles — nutrient-rich liquid fertilizers — using knowledge gained from his agricultural studies. Bioles are liquid organic fertilizers resulting from anaerobic fermentation in biodigesters. They usually include a mixture of inputs such as manure, plant residues, and other vegetable waste, along with inoculums. During anaerobic digestion, complexes of microorganisms break down organic matter, resulting in a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. His commitment to sharing these techniques with neighboring producers highlights his role as a community leader and champion of sustainable growth.

Harvest & Post-Harvest
Only red, ripe cherry is handpicked and is then processed on Juan José’s farm at the end of the day. Cherries are pupled and then fermented for around 24 hours in tanks. The parchment is washed and then placed on covered wooden raised beds and raked frequently by hand to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 18 days for parchment to dry.

About Geisha
Geisha (also known as Gesha) is known for its exceptional cup quality, especially when grown at high altitudes. The variety comes from Ethiopian landrace coffees and was collected from Ethiopian coffee forests in the 1930s. The name supposedly derives from Ethiopia’s Gori Gesha forest.

There is some confusion with several genetically distinct varieties that have all been called Geisha, but the most famous variety is the Panama one. The variety was brought to Lyamungu research station in Tanzania and from there to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Central America in 1953. At CATIE, the variety was logged as T2722. CATIE distributed T2722 across Panama in the 1960s for its Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) resistance, but its brittle branches meant it was not widely planted.

Panama Geisha reached its modern fame in 2005 when a Geisha lot won the “Best of Panama” competition and broke contemporary records at over $20/pound. DNA analysis has demonstrated that the Panama Geisha descended from T2722 is distinct and uniform. Today, Geisha is known for its delicate florals, jasmine and stone fruit.