PERU, Dreyde Perez Delgado, Chontali, Cajamarca

Producer: Dreyde Perez Delgado. 

Growing altitude: 1950m above sea level.

Botanical variety: Geisha.

Process: Washed 72+72hr anaerobic.

Tasting notes: Molasses, jasmine, pomelo, cantaloupe, floral flavours.

Roast date: PLEASE NOTE!!! This coffee is roasted on demand, so please keep in mind it will take longer to ship. 

Peru is long celebrated among coffee lovers for its delicate, floral high-altitude arabicas, and nestled in the lush hills of Cajamarca, producer Dreyde Perez Delgado is making waves with his Geisha lots. 

Located in the district of Chontali, his farm is becoming known for Geisha that exemplifies what Peru can do at altitude, with clean processing and expressive flavour profiles. 

Altitude is one of the key factors: at nearly 2,000masl the cooler temperatures slow the maturation of beans, enhancing complexity, preserving acidity, and allowing more nuanced sugar development.

The 72+72 hour washed fermentation method lets the intrinsic qualities of the varietal and terroir shine through. In Delgado’s case, that seems to include floral notes, vibrant fruit, and clarity in acidity. 

What is the 72 + 72-Hour Fermentation. 

First, the whole cherries (i.e. before depulping) are fermented for 72 hours in an oxygen-free (anaerobic) tank. After that initial fermentation, the cherries are de-pulped (removing the pulp and mucilage) and then another 72 hours of fermentation occurs on the de-pulpedbeans.  

So overall, there’s 144 total hours of fermentation contact (72h in cherry + 72h post de-pulping).

Dreyde Perez Delgado’s “Ermelita” Geisha achieved 87.53 points in the 2023 Peru Cup of Excellence (COE). This score places his coffee among the top lots in the country suggesting both excellent quality and strong potential for specialty markets. Buyers and roasters are paying attention. 

When you taste Dreyde's Geisha, you are likely to encounter sweet, fruity flavours, pomelo, passion fruit, jasmine and a clean acidity. 

Geisha at high altitude in Cajamarca is a powerful combination: unique micro-climate, rich soils, excellent shade or shade-like conditions, and skilled post-harvest methods.

Getting over 87 points in COE is no small feat. It means consistent quality, careful picking (ripe cherries), proper fermentation, good washing, accurate drying, and good record-keeping. 

Dreyde's a small-scale producer. His size allows more attention to detail. It also means that his production is limited, which appeals to roasters and consumers wanting traceability and uniqueness.  

Dreyde Perez Delgado is one of the names in Peru that specialty coffee lovers around the world are watching. With his Geisha lots from Chontali, Cajamarca, he’s producing coffee that competes at high levels, shows beautiful complexity, and earns the kind of recognition that could help small producers build sustainable livelihoods.