VALLE ALTO GEISHA from the London-based roastery Nostos Coffee is a washed Geisha coffee that offers notes of peach and nectarine in the cup, with a delicate vanilla sweetness and juicy hints of wild berries. Geisha is among the most prized varieties in the world, and this Peruvian lot demonstrates why it deserves such acclaim. Brew it using a filter.
Behind this coffee is the Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera Valle Alto, a cooperative of young farmers from Peru’s Cajamarca region. The cooperative’s story began as a student social project led by graduates of the National University of Pedro Ruiz Gallo, who are the children of coffee farmers. They traveled to the Lonya Grande area as part of the “Give Back to the Land What It Gave You” program to educate young people about sustainable agriculture and show them that farming is worthwhile. In 2016, they decided to establish their own organization. Their philosophy is simple: young farmers are the future of rural agriculture. They are innovative, creative, and capable of facing the challenges posed by climate change. The coffee ripens at an altitude of 1,700 to 1,820 meters above sea level, where ideal conditions allow the Geisha variety to slowly develop its exceptional floral and fruity profile.
The coffee has undergone a classic washed processing method, which suits the Geisha variety perfectly. The washed method preserves the clarity and transparency of the cup, allowing the variety’s fruity and floral character to shine through without any distracting notes. The result is a cup dominated by peach and vanilla, with wild berries adding a pleasant juiciness and depth.
- Producer: Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera Valle Alto
- Altitude: 1,700–1,820 m above sea level
- Variety: Geisha