PRODUCER: Maria Nieves
ORIGIN: Peru
REGION: Chim Chim, Cajamarca
VARIETY: Geisha
PROCESS: Washed | Raised-Bed Dried
ELEVATION: 1800 MASL
ROASTER: Probat P25
LEVEL: Light Roast | Agtron #70-75
EXTRACTION: Filter & Espresso
NOTES: Jasmine | Brown Sugar | Black Tea | Stonefruit
PRODUCER - STORY
María Nieves Tantalean Fernández is a dedicated coffee producer from the town of La Coipa, where she has spent years refining her craft through careful attention and hands-on work. At 45 years old, María manages three small farms located high in the surrounding mountains, roughly 800 meters uphill from her home. These steep, remote plots demand daily commitment and physical effort, a responsibility she shares closely with her husband.
Harvest is carried out selectively, with only fully ripe cherries picked by hand. After harvesting, María carefully washes the cherries and performs a floatation process to remove underripe or defective fruit. The selected cherries are then placed into barrels for an extended in-cherry fermentation lasting approximately 120 hours, allowing complex flavors to develop naturally.
Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is pulped without water and undergoes a second fermentation for 72 hours in a sealed, shaded environment. After this stage, the coffee is thoroughly washed three times to ensure all remaining mucilage is removed. The beans are then rested briefly before being transferred to a solar dryer under shade, where they dry slowly over 10 to 15 days. During this period, María carefully monitors moisture levels, collecting the coffee only once it reaches an ideal 10–11% moisture content.
María’s meticulous approach from harvest through drying reflects a deep respect for quality and process. Every step is done by hand, with patience and precision, resulting in a coffee that carries both the character of its origin and the dedication of the producer behind it.
ORIGIN — PERU
Peru is one of the world’s most quietly impressive coffee origins, producing roughly 4–5 million 60 kg bags per year, which places it among the top 10 coffee-producing countries globally. While its total volume is smaller compared to giants like Brazil or Colombia, Peru’s strength lies in high-altitude, smallholder production and an increasing focus on specialty-grade coffee.
The vast majority of Peruvian coffee is grown by small-scale farmers, many cultivating just a few hectares in remote Andean regions. High elevations, cool temperatures, and diverse microclimates allow for slow cherry maturation, resulting in coffees known for clean structure, balanced acidity, and transparent sweetness. Much of Peru’s specialty coffee is organically farmed by default, shaped more by tradition and environment than by industrial inputs.
In recent years, Peru has steadily gained international recognition for quality, driven by improvements in processing, cooperative organization, and direct-trade relationships. Though it contributes a modest percentage of the world’s total coffee volume, Peru plays an outsized role in the specialty sector offering coffees that are nuanced, approachable, and deeply tied to place.
Peruvian coffees often reflect the care and resilience of the producers behind them: expressive, honest cups that highlight origin over intensity and reward careful roasting and brewing.
VARIETY — GEISHA
Geisha is one of the most celebrated and sought-after coffee varieties in the world, renowned for its extraordinary aromatics and refined cup profile. Originally discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia, Geisha gained global recognition after its introduction to Central and South America, where it revealed an unparalleled expression of floral intensity and clarity.
When grown at high elevation and handled with care, Geisha coffees are known for their jasmine-like florals, tea-like structure, and vibrant acidity, often layered with notes of citrus, stone fruit, and delicate sweetness. The variety’s elongated bean shape and lower yields make it challenging to cultivate, but the reward is a cup of remarkable elegance and complexity.
Geisha is highly sensitive to terroir, meaning small differences in elevation, climate, and processing can dramatically influence flavor. For this reason, it is often produced in small quantities and processed with extreme precision, making it a standout in cupping competitions and specialty auctions worldwide.
Valued not for intensity but for finesse, Geisha represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship in coffee—where farming, processing, and roasting converge to showcase purity, expression, and a true sense of place.
PROCESS METHOD — WASHED
Washed processing is the most common method used in Peru and plays a key role in defining the country’s clean, elegant coffee profiles. After harvest, ripe cherries are carefully pulped to remove the outer fruit, then fermented in tanks to break down remaining mucilage. Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is thoroughly washed with fresh water and dried slowly often on patios, raised beds, or under shade until it reaches optimal moisture levels.
This method emphasizes clarity, balance, and transparency, allowing the inherent qualities of origin, variety, and altitude to take center stage. Peruvian washed coffees are often noted for their crisp acidity, soft sweetness, and structured cup, with flavors that feel precise and approachable rather than heavy or overly fermented.
Because washed processing requires clean water access, careful timing, and close attention, it reflects the discipline and craftsmanship of Peru’s smallholder producers. The result is a coffee that is expressive yet refined offering a clear window into Peru’s diverse terroirs and the thoughtful work behind each harvest.
DRYING METHOD — RAISED-BED DRIED
Drying takes place on raised African-style beds designed for maximum airflow and even moisture release. The parchment is turned regularly to promote uniform drying and is shaded during peak sunlight to protect delicate sugars.
This method encourages slower drying stabilizing the cell structure, protecting aromatics, and preserving the coffee’s sweet, floral clarity.
HARVEST SEASON — OCTOBER
the harvest season for specialty coffees particularly Geisha micro-lots typically runs from May through September, with peak picking occurring between July and October. High elevations and cool Andean nights slow cherry maturation, allowing sugars and aromatics to develop gradually.
Geisha micro-lots are harvested with exceptional care, often through multiple selective passes to ensure only fully ripe cherries are picked. This extended, precise harvest window is critical for preserving the variety’s hallmark florals, tea-like structure, and refined acidity. The result is a limited, highly expressive coffee that reflects both Cajamarca’s terroir and the meticulous timing of the harvest.
PRODUCTION ROASTER — PROBAT P25
Each coffee is profiled and tracked through Cropster to maintain precision and consistency. Our Probat P25 uses conductive heat transfer, ideal for expressing the sweetness, structure, and delicate floral tones inherent in Pink Bourbon.
Roast curves are held within ±2°C to ensure the coffee’s integrity and to highlight its natural acidity and honey-like finish.
ROAST LEVEL — MODERATELY LIGHT
Whole Bean: Agtron 70-75
Roast: Moderately Light
Moderately Light is our interpretation of Nordic-style roasting. Coffees in this range showcase lively acidity, a clean, tea-like body, and a delicate, short-lived sweetness. This roast sits just past light, preserving floral and tea-like characteristics while allowing enough sugar development for balance and structure. Expect bright acidity, clear fruit expression, and minimal roast influence. Coffees in this range maintain strong expression of origin and variety while introducing subtle sugar browning. Expect balanced acidity, rounded sweetness, and versatility across brew methods.
We measure roast color using an Agtron M Basic III and reference results on the Agtron Gourmet scale, calibrated hourly for consistency. Our roast categories focus on development balancing time and temperature to preserve clarity, acidity, and sweetness rather than roast-forward flavors.
Learn more at agtroninc.com
EXTRACTION - FILTER & ESPRESSO
Our Quality Control team evaluates each lot through sensory analysis and brewing science to bring out its best expression. Filter brews highlight its florals and delicate sweetness, while espresso yields a silky, fruit-forward shot with layered acidity.
Extraction is all about balance—pulling acids first, then sugars, then bitters. A grind too fine leans bitter; too coarse leans sour; the ideal sits cleanly in the middle.
Balanced extraction brings together acidity, sweetness, and texture. Early extraction delivers bright acids, mid-extraction develops sugars and sweetness, and late extraction adds body and structure. The goal is harmony—too little leads to sour, thin cups; too much results in bitterness and dryness.
Grind size is the most effective way to dial in: too fine over-extracts, too coarse under-extracts. Adjusting grind is the fastest path to a balanced, expressive cup.
DIALING IN
Grind size is the foundation of a balanced cup. A properly calibrated grind ensures water has the right amount of contact time with the coffee, extracting the full spectrum of flavor without pushing into bitterness or underdevelopment.
We include recommended brew guidelines so your first cup with this coffee is already close to its final, intended expression.
FLAVOR PROFILE — TASTING NOTES
Jasmine · Brown Sugar · Black Tea · Stone Fruit
Our brewing approach centers on balance and restraint—allowing clarity, sweetness, and texture to work in harmony. When prepared as a filter pour-over, this Geisha from Peru’s Cajamarca region, produced by María Nieves, reveals a refined and elegant cup that unfolds gradually with each sip.
Delicate jasmine florals lead the aroma and first impression, setting a graceful, tea-like tone. Black tea provides structure and a gentle tannic backbone, while stone fruit think ripe peach and apricot adds soft, luminous sweetness. Notes of brown sugar emerge as the cup cools, rounding out the profile with warmth and balance.
Clean, expressive, and poised, this coffee showcases the hallmark finesse of high-elevation Geisha: floral aromatics, polished acidity, and a silky mouthfeel with a long, calming finish. A coffee that rewards careful brewing and quiet attention.
EXTRACTION - BREW GUIDE
Overview
Brewer: Origami dripper with Origami cone
Coffee: 16.5 g
Water: 280 g @ 200°F (93°C)
Ratio: 1:17
Grind Size
490 µm (medium-fine, filter-focused)
Brew Recipe
0:00 — Spiral Pour
Pour to 100 g to evenly saturate the bed
0:30 — Center Pour
Pour gently to 200 g, maintaining a steady flow
1:00 — Spiral Pour
Finish with a spiral pour to 280 g
2:00 — Drawdown Complete
Target total brew time: 2:00
Featured Setup
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Method: Origami Cone
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Dose: 16.5 g
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Water: 280 g @ 200°F
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Grind: 490 µm
This recipe is designed to highlight the floral aromatics, tea-like structure, and refined sweetness of María Nieves’ Geisha—producing a clean, expressive cup with exceptional clarity and balance.
Ready to brew?
Start your timer and enjoy the process.
EXTRACT & ENJOY
