This coffee comes to us through Falcon Coffees, a team based in Austin, TX that has been a meaningful partner in some of our highest-end sourcing over the years.
There is also something a little surreal about this one: Arrott reconnected through this partnership with Nathan Grant, who turns out to be a fellow College Station Cougar. Nathan went through College Station High School a few years behind Arrott, and finding him on the other side of an email in the specialty coffee world was one of those small, satisfying reminders of how tight-knit this industry can be. Go Cougs! #PurpleSchool
The coffee comes from Joel Marin Mires and his family in La Palma, Chirinos, in Peru's Cajamarca region. The Marin family is five strong: four brothers, Felipe, Joel, Aurelio, and Moises, and their father Silvestre, who together farm a combined 14 hectares at elevations between 1,770 and 1,900 meters above sea level. Joel purchased his parcels in 2021. The family lives locally, hires pickers during harvest, and has spent seven years modernizing their operation in ways that separate them from previous generations. Plantings include Catuai alongside the Marshel and Gesha that make up this lot. They fertilize three times per year, run soil analyses through the Specialty Plus project, and maintain minimal shade to maximize sun exposure. Drying is monitored carefully with moisture meters and thermometers, with mechanical dryers installed in 2025 to finish parchment to approximately 11% moisture after an initial spell on raised beds.
The Marins work with Falcon Coffees Peru through the Specialty Plus project, which buys parchment directly at the farm gate with quality-differentiated premiums and full financial traceability. Since its founding in 2019, FCP has built relationships with more than 500 farmers and eight cooperatives across the region. The program has delivered an average score gain of 1.32 points across its 107 enrolled producers, with a peak of 88. For a family like the Marins, that kind of infrastructure and consistent feedback loop matters. It is the difference between producing a good coffee and knowing exactly why.
The cup is expressive and layered. Strawberry shortcake sets a bright, dessert-like tone from the first sip, sweet and fragrant with real presence. Brown sugar brings warmth and depth, adding richness without weight. Blackberry closes things out with a clean, dark fruit note that gives the finish length and definition.
This is the kind of lot that takes years of relationship, infrastructure, and craft to produce. We are glad Nathan and the Falcon team made it possible to bring it here.
Profile
- Roast: Light
- Region: La Palma, Chirinos, Cajamarca, Peru
- Farm: Joel Marin Mires
- Process: Natural
- Elevation: 1,770–1,900 MASL
- Variety: Marshel, Gesha
- Cup: Strawberry Shortcake, Brown Sugar, Blackberry
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Peru –– Cerro Blanco