About Gregorio Sullca Mamani

One of the most unique and coveted coffees in the world, Gregorio Sullca Mamani comes to us from Quiquira in Puno’s Sandia Valley, along the shores of Lake Titicaca. We’ve been working in Puno for over a decade, and our current model is the most involved it’s ever been, with us directly coordinating purchasing from producers we’ve worked with over the years. Gregorio Sullca Mamani is one of those producers and we look forward to his coffee every year.

Puno is characterized by its varied landscapes that range from deep, warm jungle to the highest, iciest mountains of the Andes. It’s also the fifth highest city in the world at almost 4,000 meters above sea level. It is due to the strong presence of the Andes that we can find a diversity of very fertile soils even at very low temperatures, with high variety of minerals.

Whereas governments like Colombia’s pushed replanting with hybrid coffee varieties that aren’t as known for their flavor profiles, the Peruvian government’s lack of a centralized coffee-controlling body, as well as Puno’s extreme remoteness, means that Puno’s farms are still populated with old Bourbon. This produces a classic, delicately floral profile that stands out from its peers. We have to go further to get this coffee, but you can absolutely see how worth it is in the end cup.