Peru Carranza Geisha

Strawberry Syrup, Honeydew, Cherry Blossom, Hibiscus

Hailing from Peruvian producer Ronal Carranza Montenegro, this blue chip offering checks every box. It's pure Geisha, grown at 1,600 meters in the hills of the Amazonas region. It's also a certified organic anaerobic natural that spent 120 hours in whole-cherry fermentation.

Whoa—you surely thinking. A 120-hour anaerobic? That sounds like a recipe for some crazy, funky ferment tones. Your suspicion is understandable, but incorrect.

Leveraging a mix of agronomical know-how, pristine growing conditions, and help from a genie he found in a flea-market lamp, Ronal has managed to turn a 120-hour anaerobic natural into a relatively clean affair. It drinks more like a strict natural than most of its oxygen-deprived brethren, and that—among other things—makes it a standout.

There's a resonant quality to the fruits in this cup. They tend toward the flavors you get in a reduction. The most prominent is strawberry, which presents in syrupy form, the kind you might encounter in a dessert plate drizzle. Honeydew melon also comes to the party, pitched right on the edge of overripe. A slight acetic quality shades the fruits (the only nod you catch to the anaerobic processing). Cooling brings out delicate florals like hibiscus and cherry blossom, and they create a delightfully complex pairing with the fruit. Finally, the cup packs just the slightest bit of hops, which lends a drying texture to the finish.