In September of last year, a team from Sisters Coffee traveled to Rutas del Inca in the Andean mountains of Northern Peru. Located in Querocoto and perched atop lush mountain ridges, Rutas, for short, boasts some of the most unique coffee from the region.

Don Elmer, a founding member of Rutas, has served as an elder to the co-op since its inception. Don Elmer lends assistance, wisdom, and guidance to Jose Rubio, president of Rutas del Inca, and the rest of the team at Rutas' headquarters.

His house, located a few kilometers down the winding dirt road, sits on a steeply sloped ridge, with a stunning view of the valley below. A gentle spirited man in his seventies, Don Elmer climbs the steps, hewn by hand into the mountain, every day often while carrying sacks of freshly harvested, brilliantly red, coffee cherries on his shoulder. Daily, he tends his 3 hectare farm, located above his house on the mountain with help from friends, family, neighbors, and other co-op members.

His Geisha trees are planted at 2100 meters above sea level and shaded by tropical pines. The coffee cherries ripen slowly as the nightly temperatures plunge into the low 50s °F and high 40s °F, after the heat of the day in the Andean sun. Dutifully tended to, the coffee cherries are only harvested with precision and care once perfectly ripe. Once harvested and processed, this special lot is brought to the cooperative by truck.

This washed Geisha from Don Elmer and the Rutas del Inca Cooperative bursts with brilliant flavors pairing beautifully with a light body and sparkling acidity.