Yonal has 2 farms, La Mandarina, and El Limón, found in El Vencedor village in Colasay at an elevation of 1710-1800 masl. Yonal grows a regional mutation of the Bourbon varietal, Bourbon de Colasay, which is gaining notoriety for exciting and unique flavours in the cup. Our import partners Nordic Approach worked with Origin Coffee Lab to source this coffee as part of their program in Peru, with the aim of identifying exceptional microlots from small farms where the entire production process occurs.
Coffee production here is a real family affair, with Yonal’s siblings, parents and cousins all working together to produce outstanding microlots across their farms. Occasionally, when there is sufficient parchment, they blend these lots under the name Fernandez Familia. During the May to October harvest season, coffee cherries are hand-picked and floated in water to separate any defective fruit. This coffee was mechanically pulped and fermented underwater in ceramic tanks to remove the mucilage, then dried under a solar drier.
Seasonal buying is about seeing coffee as a crop not a commodity, buying in harmony with the growing seasons to enjoy coffee at its best. This kind of buying has always been the backbone of our business and it’s something we’ve improved and refined every year.
