ALL BRIDGES BURNED, Peru

La Cima is a high altitude farm nestled in the mountainous terrain of San Ignacio, a celebrated coffee producing district in the northern reaches of Cajamarca, Peru. The region is renowned not only for its exceptional coffee but also for its vibrant forests and wildflower honey, shaped by a biodiverse ecosystem and cool microclimates. The farm is one of several led by the Cortez family—multi-generational producers whose dedication to quality has quietly shaped some of the most expressive coffees emerging from this part of the country.

Surrounded by groves of pine and native guama trees, the La Cima plantation offers a natural canopy that slows the ripening of cherries, allowing sugars and complexity to concentrate over time. The farm sits at elevations that rise above 1,800 MASL, a height that brings with it not just crisp air and cooler nights, but also the potential for remarkable clarity in the cup.

The Cortez family continues to favour a traditional washed process, informed by years of refinement and observation. Ripe cherries are hand-harvested at peak ripeness before being de-pulped and fully washed, a method that carefully removes all mucilage and fruit residue from the parchment. Drying is undertaken with equal care, using raised beds and, where necessary, mechanical dryers to ensure even dehydration to an ideal moisture level of around 11%.

The result is a coffee that embodies the core virtues of the washed process: precision, transparency, and structure. The absence of fermentation allows the intrinsic character of the variety and terroir to speak clearly, yielding a cup with bright acidity, a clean profile, and an elegant articulation of origin. In a landscape often marked by challenges, the Cortez family's work stands as a quiet assertion of mastery, rooted in tradition, patience, and the conviction that excellence is grown, not rushed.