Peru Marly Palomino SL9 Double Anaerobic Washed

Marly Palomino
Marly Palomino is a dedicated coffee producer from Inkawasi, and her farm reflects both the region’s natural richness and her commitment to sustainable agriculture. Her chacra is uniquely characterized by patches of volcanic and rocky soils that lend a distinctive quality to the land. Amid this rugged terrain, groves of guava, citrus, and erythrina thrive, creating a diverse, vibrant, and ecologically balanced landscape. The natural environment is alive with wild birds, including colorful parrots and the local “tuya,” further attesting to the area’s thriving biodiversity.
To maintain soil fertility, Marly relies on organic compost provided by the cooperative, ensuring her land is nourished in a way that honors the ecosystem. She works in accordance with the ancient Incan principle of ayni—reciprocal labor that sustains her farm and strengthens community bonds—and finds joy in a deep connection with nature, nurturing a regenerated, living farm because she believes nature itself is life. In recent years, the prohibition of harmful inputs like glyphosate in the valley has reinforced her environmental stewardship. This care is especially evident during harvest, when the tradition of ayni brings local villagers together in a shared effort to gather the coffee. Looking ahead, Marly aspires to participate in the coffee excellence competition, underscoring her drive for quality and her enduring passion for sustainable farming.

SL9
We are presently using “SL9” as a working name for this variety. Its precise genetic fingerprint does not yet appear in the global database, but its strong similarity to SL09 makes SL9 a practical interim designation—and importantly, no Gesha lineage is present. In the meantime, we are in active dialogue with geneticists and with community members in the Inkawasi Valley to determine a name and representation that are both accurate and respectful as our knowledge deepens.
Locally, the coffee is often called “Gesha Inca.” Genetic testing conducted last year helps explain why that nickname can be confusing: the variety aligns most closely with SL09, a rare cultivar within the Ethiopian Legacy group. The “SL” prefix references single-tree selections undertaken by Scott Agricultural Laboratories in the 1930s; while SL28, SL34, and Mibirizi became widely cultivated, SL09—and by extension SL9—remains uncommon today. Still, local names endure for good reason. They carry stories of place and practice, capturing terroir, history, and identity alongside genetics. “Gesha Inca” reflects that living dialogue between scientific classification and the way producers and communities have long understood their coffees—through the lens of landscape, labor, and lineage.


PROCESSING
After selective harvest and eliminating external elements, cherries are put to ferment in oxygen-free tanks for 48 hours. Then coffee is depulped and put back into the same tanks for another 48 hours. Finally washed with clean water, and fnished drying on elevated african beds for 14 days.