Coffee Story
Maria Fernandez Izquierdo is one of the first members of PAWQARA, and her farm is located just over the hill from the founders, Lily and Neptaly. Originally from the coast of Peru, Maria moved to the area to marry her husband, Dagoberto, who is also a member of PAWQARA. Together, they manage a 2-hectare plot on a total of 3 hectares. Their dedication to improving their farm is evident in the newly installed pulper and the new house that the family has just moved into.
The PAWQARA co-op is truly a community of friends, neighbours, and families in the Chirinos district who have banded together to work with our partner importer, Swift Coffee, to sell their entire 2025 crop of microlots, of which Maria’s is part.
Each member's farm is small, carved out of the mountains' hillsides. Producers must either add their cherries to community lots — a mixture of all cherries picked that day — or, if they grow enough, bring their specialty microlot, like this one, which is kept separate and sold separately. The family and community ties with the residents of Pirias, El Corazón, La Lima, and Shimanía Baja and Alta, as well as Balcones, make these coffees an elixir of flavours and fragrances—filling the region with harmony and growth.
This specific microlot grown on Maria's farm is a blend of Yellow Caturra, Pache, and Bourbon varieties. The Yellow Caturra, a natural mutation of the Bourbon varietal, is particularly popular with coffee growers throughout Central and South America for its robustness, high crop yield and cherry quality. Regarding cup characteristics, Caturras most often display bright citrusy notes, pleasant acidity and a balanced sweetness that can be incredibly maple and honey-like.
Bourbon is a tall coffee variety known for its low yield, susceptibility to disease, and exceptional cup quality. It was introduced to Yemen from Ethiopia in the 17th century. It later arrived on Île Bourbon (now La Réunion) in the early 1700s. This variety thrives at high altitudes (1,000–2,000 meters) in volcanic, nitrogen-rich soils, producing small, dense cherries that mature quickly.
Pache, a natural mutation of the Typica variety, produces smaller plants, enabling them to be planted more densely to achieve higher yields.
