EL DIAMENTE

El Diamente – Peru Washed Caturra

Suitable for: Espresso & Filter Brewing
Best As: Filter or Espresso (Black / Milk)

Flavour Characteristics

Silver Needle Tea, Blackberry, Red Berry Coulis, Maple Syrup, Pink Lady Apple

Origin & Producer Details

Producer: Ebert Vega, Nehemias Estela, Gerardo Garcia, Jeiner Flores & local smallholders
Region: San Jose De Lourdes
Variety: Caturra
Process: Washed
Q-Score: 87.5
Sourced via: Conscious

Recommended Rest

For the best tasting brew, we recommend enjoying this coffee between 24–57 days off roast. You can read more about resting coffee here.

About This Coffee

Origin

Peru has to be in the conversation as one of my favourite origins to source from. From a coffee lover's perspective, very few countries compare to the quality and variety that Peru can offer, and it has to be in the conversation for the country with the most unique terroir. In addition to its incredible natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Peru consistently produces coffee beans that balance clarity, complexity, and approachability in a way that feels distinctly its own. 

Geography & Climate

The country of Peru sits on the western side of South America, taking cool air from the Pacific, with the northern part of the Andes providing many high altitude growing regions (among the highest in South America). On the opposite side, warm, humid air pushes in from the Amazon basin, creating a unique intersection of climates. This balance allows the coffee cultivated here to develop a phenomenal complex acidity, driven by a longer, slower maturation of the coffee cherries.

Altitude Range

Peruvian coffee farms can range anywhere from 800 MASL all the way up to 2200+ MASL, offering a gigantic range greater than almost any other producing country. While some lower altitude farms do exist, much of Peru’s most expressive coffee sits comfortably in the higher elevations, where cooler temperatures further extend ripening and enhance both structure and sweetness in the cup. This particular lot is selected from cherries harvested between 1700–1850 MASL.

Terroir & Soil Composition

The Andes mountain range provides cooler temperatures, steep, fragmented terrain, and a mixture of volcanic, clay, and loam-rich soils. Farms are often small and relatively isolated, which adds another layer of uniqueness from lot to lot. These conditions lead to phenomenally complex, structured acidity, alongside high clarity and sweetness, with coffees often showing a refined and well-defined profile rather than something overly heavy or aggressive.

Producers & Location

This particular micro lot was produced by four farmers - Ebert Vega, Jeiner Flores, Nehemias Estela, and Gerardo Garcia, whose farms are situated at 1700–1850 MASL, surrounding the village of El Diamante in northern Peru’s San José de Lourdes district. Established just 35 years ago, El Diamante has quickly earned a reputation for exceptional quality coffee, with producers in the area focusing on careful harvesting and processing to highlight the region’s natural characteristics.

Processing Method

The producers of this lot all followed a similar approach: after selective harvesting, the cherries were dry fermented in GrainPro for 36–72 hours. This initial dry fermentation period helps to produce an intense, yet clean, fruit-forward cup. The coffees were then washed and dried on raised African beds in poly tunnels for 15–20 days, turned regularly to ensure even airflow and consistency across the lot.

Cup Profile

This results in Peru's signature elegant, tea-like structure found in many of its washed lots, alongside high acidity, pronounced sweetness, and exceptional flavour clarity. In this particular coffee, that complexity is expressed through notes of Silver Needle tea, red berry coulis, maple syrup, and Pink Lady apple, giving a cup that is both vibrant and refined.

How to Brew This Coffee

Dial in with accuracy

Because this coffee is expressive and fruit-forward, accurate dose and yield help you hit the sweet spot. We strongly recommend using a reliable scale — see our guide, The Best Coffee Scales, and our bench favourite, the Felicita Parallel.

Brewing tips

• Rest window: Follow the recommended 24–57 days off roast for best clarity and balance.
• Filter brewing: Start with a 1:16–1:17 ratio and a medium-fine grind, adjusting to balance florals and citrus intensity.
• Espresso: Start with a longer ratio (e.g. 1:2.2–1:2.4) to showcase tropical characteristics.
• Best recipe: Orea v4, 15.5g coffee, 250g water, 2:20 brew time.

Explore More Recipes

To try out more recipes from world-class coffee brewers, we've compiled this blog, featuring the best filter coffee recipes of 2026 from some of the world's best filter coffee brewers.

FAQs

What does Peruvian coffee taste like?

Peruvian coffee typically tastes like citrus & berries with a light, tea-like body. In higher altitude lots like this one, you’ll also find pronounced sweetness and exceptional flavour clarity.

Where is this coffee from?

This coffee comes from San Jose De Lourdes in northern Peru, a region known for producing exceptional quality lots. The area benefits from high altitude growing conditions and a unique intersection of climates, which contribute to the coffee’s complexity and balance.

Who produced this coffee?

This micro lot was produced by Ebert Vega, Nehemias Estela, Gerardo Garcia, Jeiner Flores, and local smallholders. Their farms are situated between 1700–1850 MASL, surrounding the village of El Diamante, which has quickly earned a reputation for high quality coffee production.

What variety and process is used?

• Variety: Caturra
• Process: Washed

After selective harvesting, the cherries were dry fermented in GrainPro for 36–72 hours, producing an intense yet clean, fruit-forward cup. The coffee was then washed and dried on raised African beds in poly tunnels for 15–20 days, with regular turning to ensure even airflow and consistency.

What makes Peruvian coffee unique?

Peru offers a rare combination of high altitude, diverse climates, and smallholder farming. Farms can range from 800 to 2200+ MASL, with many of the most expressive coffees grown at higher elevations where cooler temperatures slow down cherry maturation.

The Andes provide steep, fragmented terrain and a mix of volcanic, clay, and loam-rich soils, leading to complex, structured acidity, high clarity, and pronounced sweetness. This is what gives Peruvian coffees their distinctive refined, tea-like character.

When is the best time to brew this coffee?

For the best results, enjoy this coffee between 24–57 days off roast. This rest window helps maximise clarity, balance, and sweetness in the cup.

Is this coffee better for filter or espresso?

It performs well on both, but it really shines as a filter coffee, where its tea-like structure, layered acidity, and clarity are most pronounced. That said, as espresso it can produce a vibrant, fruit-forward shot that works both black and with milk.

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