1 - La Perla - Mexico 2024 (Wet)

La Perla Farm is located in the iconic Coatepec basin, particularly in the mountainous region of Ixhuacan de los Reyes, Veracruz. The farm sits at an average altitude of 1500 meters above sea level and is situated in a coniferous forest dominated by oaks, pines, and fig trees. The climate is dry and cold, but there is a lot of fog, which adds moisture to the soil and coffee plants.
La Perla Farm is a new beginning with a long history. This ranch belonged to my grandfather Ernesto, but it was not used for agricultural production until 2021, making it a virgin land with nutrient-rich soils. When it was decided that its vocation would be coffee, the focus was not only on production but also on research to discover new horizons in coffee quality.
The farm covers an area of 35 hectares, of which only 10 are used for coffee production, with the rest serving as an ecological reserve. We mainly cultivate the Bourbon variety, but we also have some experimental varieties like Geisha, SL-28, and Pacamara. The farm borders a ravine where warm air rises and cold air descends, creating a very special microclimate.
The 2023-2024 harvest was the first for this farm, and all the coffee was processed artisanally using different methods such as washed, honey, and natural processes. Surprisingly, we noticed that the washed process had a special delicacy but also a lot of character, which gave us the confidence to participate in the Cup of Excellence with this lot.