Peru Darkslide

Darkslide is a blend of coffees from 6 different small-scale producers from San Ignacio and Cajamarca states in Peru. We have been working with these procedures since 2019 and it is one of the handful of coffees that we source from Peru as part of a long-term partnership with the aim of purchasing these high-quality lots at a price 3-5 times what the producers might otherwise receive from the commodity market. This means that the producers can expect to sell a certain percentage of their coffees at a fair market price, easing some of the risk associated with farming (which is one of the causes of many coffee producers switching to coca production in South America and Peru, specifically).

We have featured Tabaconas for several years as a light/medium roast coffee, featuring it at various times in our cafes on single origin espresso as well as on drip. It’s such a solid brew as a lighter roast that we decided to branch out and try it as a darker roast - originally developed for cold brew - and the results were outstanding!

Toasted coconut aromas meet your nose first with this coffee, whether brewing for cold brew or with pourover/drip methods, but after the brew the tastes diverge. With a pourover or drip brew, the bold flavors of this darker roast are more pronounced: the caramelized sweetness of molasses, the silky, well-balanced sweetness of prune, the characteristic dark chocolate of a dark roast, and hints of marzipan as a bit of intrigue at the finish. As a cold brew, the flavors are more rounded and congruous: a delightful buttery mouthfeel delivers a super smooth and chocolate dominant brew, with the sweetness of the toasted coconut showing through, and just enough acidity to keep things lively.

Once we were satisfied with the roast recipe we set about deciding on a name, and after a long list of submissions (some more absurd than others), we all agreed that Darkslide, a skateboard grind invented by the Godfather of Modern skateboarding, Rodney Mullen, was perfect. Not only does it hint at the level of roast, but it also nods to our company culture. One could even argue that the trick itself, which is similar to a boardslide grind but flipped on its head so that you’re actually grinding on the grip tape with your feet on the underside of the board, could be an allegory for how we really don’t offer a lot of dark roasts, and this flips that on its head!

CountryPeru

RegionSan Ignacio & Cajamarca

Altitude1700 – 1900 Meters

VarietalsTypica & Pache

Production MethodWashed

Roast LevelDark

Darkslide

Peru

Tasting Notes

toasted coconut caramel prune dark chocolatemild acidityfull-bodied

Peru Darkslide from Vigilante Coffee combines Typica & Pache varietals grown across San Ignacio and Cajamarca at 1700–1900 meters elevation. The washed process brings clarity to these classic Peruvian origins, though this lot leans toward the heavier end of the cup—toasted coconut and dark chocolate dominate, with supporting notes of caramel and prune. The mild acidity and full body suggest a roast designed for sweetness and mouthfeel rather than bright fruit expression, making it well-suited to milk preparations or those seeking a comforting, chocolate-forward profile. Learn more from Vigilante Coffee.