Tasting notes: walnut, dried apple, bakers chocolate, citric acidity

Cajamarca coffee

Cajamarca is one of Peru's top exporters of coffee and specifically certified coffee. Buyers are aware of this.

They flock to Cajamarca, and neighbouring Amazonas, in search of 84+ scoring (certified) coffees which are in the top 5% in the world.

Cajamarca is a department in the North of Peru. The area, former home to the Incas, is completely engulfed by the mighty Andean range. These heights offer splendid ‘breeding’ grounds for coffee trees.

There is a term the ‘Cajamarca cup’ that speaks for itself. Where you will find deep sweet profiles with full body and flavours of caramel and cacao. We really love this type of coffee.

Cajamarca coffee flavours

The region is beautifully diverse, besides the more traditional flavours of caramel and cacao, you can find berries, apples, and prunes which is a direct result of Cajamarca’s unique micro-climates.

Cajamarca’s coffee industry, like the rest of Peru, is dependent on numerous smallholders.

That is why you find many farms between 2 and 3 hectares of land. Large estates are rare.

On the farm, you find small pulpers and several home-built parabolic dryers. In some cases, farmers dry parchment alongside the road.

High-yield varieties like Catimor, Catuai, and Mundo Novo are popular among growers. Besides these sturdier varieties, you will find others like Bourbon, Typica (which locals call ‘National’), and Caturra.