La Locura Natural, Peru
Farrer’s not only have a long coffee heritage, but their small, dedicated team have the drive and vision to bring you the very best ethically and sustainably sourced coffees from around the globe.
The latest coffee Farrer’s is introducing to their range is La Locura (something crazy) Natural, a delicious coffee with hints of stone fruit, tropical fruit, cinnamon, caramel, and green apple.
La Locura Natural is sourced from the Pasco region of Peru, grown in the small town of Huancabamba, Oxapampa on the El Locoo farm. Peruvian coffee is usually frequently smooth and mellow, with a mild acidity and light to medium body. Flavour profiles include vanilla, nutty sweetness, caramel and subtle hints of citrus.
This particular coffee is grown by father and son, Elias and Litman Inga, on their small 10-hectare farm located in the buffer zone around Yanachaga-Chemillin National Park. Their coffee trees are shaded by tropical trees, including tropical walnut, Robles and Ulcumano, as well as Avocado trees and nitrogen-fixing trees like the Inca Pacay. The microclimates found in the Oxapampa-Ashaninka-Yanesha Biosphere Reserve vary significantly, in fact an altitude change of as little as 100 meters can yield a completely different climate and ecology, which in turn impacts the flavour profile of any coffee produced.
Elias and Litman work with an organisation called 7 Elements who have helped them establish which processing method they wanted to use and have also helped them establish a series of mutually-supporting permacultures, which are in themselves focused sustainable and resilient farming systems. The reality is that permaculture is an agricultural system with many intercropped species supported by organic fertilization and pest-control systems. The idea is to replicate natural cycles that are resilient and productive without any external chemical inputs. For the communities who operate in this way, it means self-sufficiency, resilience and diversified income streams.
At coffee harvest time Elias and Litman selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and process it on their farm. They float cherry to remove any over or under ripe fruit and then move cherry to parabolic drying beds.
The cherry is laid in thin layers on raised beds to dry naturally in the sun for approximately three weeks. The cherry is then turned frequently to ensure even drying and sorted to remove any defectives. Once dry, the cherry rests in GrainPro bags for at least 4 weeks. After drying the coffee is then sold as parchment to a local cooperative for sale.
The result is La Locura Natural is a subtle coffee with notes of green apple, grapefruit, figs, almond, nuts with floral notes to finish.
Farm: El Lacoo Farm
Country: Peru
Region: Paco. Sub Region: Huanacabamba. Town: Oxapampa
Varietal: Bourbon, Catucai, Caturra and Colombia
Process: Natural
Profile: Notes of bright citrus, ripe red berries, dark chocolate sweetness and passionfruit.
Cup Score: 82
