For this new edition of Cloud Nine, our delicate and floral staple from the Extra range, we're heading to Peru, to a farm called El Chachacaspe, in the district of Tabaconas, a four-hour drive from Jaén, in the heart of Cajamarca's coffee country.
The farm belongs to Blanca Padilla Campos, who has been growing coffee since she was twelve, helping her parents tend varieties like Caturra, Pache, and Catimor. Back then, her family sold their coffee to traders who came to the farm, with no real understanding of cupping or quality assessment, they were often shortchanged. Everything changed when Blanca's father joined a cooperative and learned what actually mattered in selling great coffee: above all, cupping. Blanca carried that lesson forward, eventually inheriting and expanding her own land, always working with similar varieties — until one decision changed everything.
Four years ago, Blanca's husband Albertino, an agronomist, got his hands on Panama Geisha seeds. He knew the variety's potential but had no idea how it would behave on their land. They decided to try anyway. With Blanca's patience and attentive care, the results have been extraordinary, a Geisha profile distinctive enough to win over palates across Asia and Europe. Blanca now manages the farm largely on her own, as Albertino travels often for work, and she's expanding her Geisha plantings further: around 1,500 plants currently in production, with her first harvest of the Tabi variety expected this year.
This coffee also marks our first collaboration with Balance51. When their team, led by Gian Carlo, brought samples to the roastery, Blanca's Geisha stood out immediately: layered, sweet, and deeply floral. We knew right away it belonged in Cloud Nine.