El Gavilan Ismael Sarango Washed

This Peruvian single-origin is well-rounded with an apple juice-like acidity. Aromas of peach rings, cinnamon, and cherry pie give way to notes of caramel, persimmon, and black tea in the cup. Look for Swiss chocolate and nutmeg in the finish.

Details

Producer: Ismael Sarango Farm: El Gavilan Region: Cajamarca Altitude: 1,908-1,930 masl Varietal: Bourbon Process: Washed Roast: Light-Medium Notes: Persimmon, Swiss Chocolate, Black Tea

The Story

This coffee is part of Crop to Cup's sourcing program in Peru via Origin Coffee Lab. By participating in the premium program, farmers invest in their production to improve the potential of their microlots or to create higher-quality regional blends. Exporters maintain close relationships with farmers to provide quality control, traceability, and premium payment support. On average, a typical farmer in this program manages slightly over 2 hectares of coffee cultivation.

Post-harvest processing involves pulping and fermenting the coffee in micro mills at the farms. Dry fermentation in bags or tanks lasts 15-48 hours before the coffee is washed down to the parchment. The drying period ranges from 12 to 25 days, targeting moisture levels between 9-11%. 

Origin Coffee Lab

Crop to Cup's export partner in Peru was founded by José Rivera in 2016 to elevate economic opportunity for smallholders in his home country. To that end, OCL has built quality control and chain-of-custody systems that ensure a quality focus, paying progressively higher premiums above local prices to farmers as quality increases. Origin provides necessary support to members to improve farm practices and teach both financial and agricultural techniques to enable lasting change.

José’s background on the consumer end of the supply chain—he worked as a roaster and director of coffee for a small specialty roaster in Chicago—informs the way Origin operates. It’s structured to solve the problems that roasters commonly face in their sourcing, particularly from places like Peru that lack robust centralized infrastructure for facilitating aggregation of coffee, sampling, and export. The success of Origin has elevated coffees from Peru, which were previously overlooked by many specialty roasters outside of needs for certified coffees.

Produced by Ismael Sarango in the Cajamarca region of Peru, the El Gavilan Ismael Sarango Washed represents a classic expression of the Bourbon varietal. Grown at an elevation between 1908 and 1930 meters above sea level, this lot is prepared using the washed process, a method often favored for highlighting the inherent clarity and acidity of the bean. Roasted by PT's Coffee Roasting, the coffee presents a distinct profile characterized by notes of persimmon, Swiss chocolate, and black tea.

When evaluating such profiles, enthusiasts often consult the flavor wheel to better categorize the interplay between the fruit-forward sweetness and the deeper, cocoa-toned base notes. While washed coffees are generally celebrated for their clean, bright cup profiles, the specific terroir of Cajamarca provides a unique backdrop for this particular harvest. This offering serves as a refined example of how careful cultivation and traditional processing techniques can yield a balanced and nuanced drinking experience.