Established in 2005, the Incahuasi Valley Cooperative unites nearly a dozen communities in the remote Incahuasi Valley. Through investments in processing and agronomic support, the cooperative works tirelessly to increase its producers’ market access. Tasting and quality analysis occur at a warehouse in Andahuaylas, the nearest city, which is at least a five-hour drive from most producers. Since first purchasing the group’s coffee in 2015, we've seen significant progress in both the coffee's quality and the strength of the communities. Tasting Lucio’s coffee for the first time completely shifted our idea of quality in the region. 

Although Lucio’s coffee and others are locally referred to as Inca Gesha, we were uncertain whether they were indeed of the same lineage as the renowned Gesha variety from Panama. Coffee variety identification is a complex process. In 2018, we sent two seed samples from Lucio’s farm to World Coffee Research for testing, yielding surprising results. The tests showed that the samples had no exact match but were genetically most similar to SL9, an obscure variety developed by Kenyan breeders at Scott Labs in the early 20th century. It’s thought that the original SL9 seeds were brought to a research site in southern Peru in the late 1960s, but even that is under debate. Subsequent testing has produced the same results, though it seems likely that there have been some naturally occurring mutations or outcrossing, as researchers have been unable to find an exact genetic match.

What is clear is the undeniable quality of this variety. Lucio Luque’s coffee has placed highly in Peru’s Cup of Excellence competitions, including a second-place finish in 2019. SL9 has been popping up on more farms across Peru as interest in this unique variety surges among quality-focused producers and roasting companies alike. Our experience with this intriguing variety excites us to no end, telling a story of coffee's potential for quality that continues to unfold to this day.