Peru Anibal Garcia

Region: Jaen Altitude: 1,900 m.a.s.l. Variety: Marshell, Bourbon Processing: Natural

UK Arrival: January 2026

Tasting Notes: Bold and juicy, opening with dark red cherry and ripe strawberry. Cooling into syrupy berry compote with mild booziness, lingering dark chocolate and dried cranberry to finish.

This January we tasted more than 40 coffees from Peru, and this lot was one of just two we chose. The Marshell variety’s juicy red berry flavours, complimented by a touch of booziness from the careful processing, really stood out to us. The complex natural processing demands more labour, technical skill and dedicated infrastructure, but when executed well it delivers remarkable results: vibrant fruit character and a candy-like sweetness.

Processing

This coffee underwent a 72-hour controlled fermentation before drying, resulting in complex red-fruit flavours, boozy notes and a jammy sweetness. JJ Marck purchases coffee cherries directly from farmers, and does the fermentation and drying themselves to optimize flavor profiles and cup consistency. Fermentation occurs at higher, cooler altitudes, while drying takes place two hours away in lower, hotter, drier conditions, enabling careful control to create distinctive, small lots. Each stage, from cherry selection to final drying, requires meticulous oversight. With unpredictable weather and limited resources, consistent quality is challenging but achievable with structured protocols and targeted training.

Producer

Anibal Garcia has been planting and harvesting coffee for more than 10 years. He says that the first few years were very difficult due to low coffee prices, so he decided to plant varieties other than Catimor, such as Yellow Bourbon, Geisha and Marshell. Today, he has divided the 4-hectare farm between himself and his two sons, whom he teaches to work hard and seek new opportunities. He and his sons were selected as partners by the exporter JJ Marck for their commitment to quality, openness to learning and the diverse varieties grown on their farm in the Agua Colorada region. 

Supply Chain

This coffee was imported by Nordic Approach, who specialise in high scoring specialty coffees. In turn, their processing and export partner for this coffee, JJ Marck, specialises exclusively in natural processed Peruvian coffees.

JJ Marck was founded by three men with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the coffee world: Bismark Campos, an agronomist who has worked in coffee for 40 years; Juan Manuel Vásquez, an engineer by profession; and Juan Carlos Vasquez, a business manager and barista who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu. The team purchases whole cherries from smallholders such as Anibal Garcia and handle processing at their own facilities. This season, they emphasized variety separation at the farm level, more control at fermentation, and smaller lot sizes.

Nordic Approach and JJ Marck share a commitment to quality, traceability, and farmer support. Both aim to experiment with processing methods while creating sustainable, profitable coffee practices. Projects include improving drying protocols and providing farmer training on natural processing techniques, with special attention to select committees and cooperatives to ensure targeted, measurable improvements.

This collaboration has resulted in higher-quality natural coffees, better producer income, and stronger traceability systems. By supporting these initiatives, Nordic Approach reinforces both sustainability and specialty quality standards in Peru.

A note about packaging

Our coffee comes packaged in beautiful and hard wearing tins. It is important to keep those beans away from air and light (see our blog post about coffee storage) and we think tins are the very best way of keeping those guys fresh. 

Tins can of course be easily recycled (with other metals) but the very best and most environmentally conscious thing to do with them is to refill them. Find out how to refill or dispose of your Steampunk packaging

This Peru Anibal Garcia from Steampunk Coffee showcases the Marshell varietal grown by producer Anibal Garcia in Jaen's highlands. The natural processing method typically emphasizes fruit-forward character, and this lot delivers berry complexity—dark red cherry and ripe strawberry dominate, with dried cranberry notes adding tartness alongside a syrupy berry compote body. Dark chocolate grounds the profile, while a mild booziness suggests the fermentation intensity characteristic of naturally-processed coffees. The result bridges bright fruit acidity with deeper, wine-like undertones, making it an intriguing expression of what the region and varietal can offer.