Tasting Notes: Watermelon, Coconut, Maple Syrup

Processing: 15-20hr dry fermentation then fully washed then dried on raised beds and solar dryers for 15-30 days.

The Region: In Northern Peru near the Ecuador border lies the small town called Pueblo Libre. Nestled within the center of Namballe district, it’s in the San Ignacio province within the Cajamarca region. This area is of vital importance since it is within the buffer zone surrounding the Tabaconas Namballe National Sanctuary.

This sanctuary preserves a unique and rare ecosystem in Peru: the páramo. It also seeks to protect two seriously threatened species: the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) categorized as endangered, and the highland tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) categorized as critically endangered. It also shelters the Tabaconas, Miraflores and Blanco river basins. The sanctuary protects the southernmost páramo of the Andes, which differs from the puna ecosystem in that it contains very humid grasslands and scrublands and is almost permanently covered by mist.

With the wealth of fauna, flora and culture found in the Sanctuary, the coffee growers of Pueblo Libre are very clear about how important it is to care for the area. They’ve completely prohibited hunting, an activity that used to be performed in large scale years ago.

The Rio Blanco cooperative owes its name to this community, since the river Rio Blanco is born within the community. They call it Rio Blanco because in various parts of the river there are a large number of white stones that give the river its white color.