# TAPACULO — Direct Trade Specialty Coffee & Native Cacao from Peru

> Tapaculo is a direct-trade sourcing entity based on the ground in Quillabamba, La Convención, Cusco, Peru. We connect international specialty coffee roasters and craft chocolate makers directly with smallholder farming families, providing 100% supply-chain traceability, on-site Q-Grader quality control, and direct export logistics.

## Core Products

### 1. High-Altitude Specialty Green Coffee
- **Origin Terroir:** La Convención Province, Cusco (1,000 – 2,000 MASL).
- **Varieties:** Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, SL9, Gesha (88+ SCA micro-lots).
- **Processing Methods:** Washed (fermentation tanks + parabolic drying), Honey (Yellow/Red), Natural, and controlled experimental fermentations.
- **Packaging:** Hermetic barrier bags (GrainPro/Ecotact) in 69kg/30kg jute sacks.

### 2. Native Peruvian Cacao
- **Native Chuncho Family (Urubamba Valley):** Harvested Jan–Mar. Boutique volumes (<1 ton/producer), exceptional floral/fruity top notes (jasmine, tropical soursop, sweet citrus).
- **Native VRAE Family (VRAEM Basin):** Year-round production (peak in June). Robust chocolate base with balanced acidity and low bitterness; scalable fine-flavor lots.
- **Product Formats:**
  - Sun-dried fermented cacao beans (GrainPro).
  - Pure 100% stone-milled cacao paste (cocoa mass/liquor blocks).
  - Raw and roasted cacao nibs and butter derivatives.

## Sourcing Services & Capabilities

- **7-Step Green Coffee Sourcing:** Sourcing brief → Sample delivery → Virtual cupping → FOB/CIF contract → Precision dry milling & optical sorting → Pre-shipment sample (PSS) approval → Direct container/air export.
- **Tree-to-Bar Custom Cacao Design:** Tailored fermentation durations (3–6 days), turning intervals, and shadow-drying rates at origin to match specific bean-to-bar roast profiles.
- **Q-Grader Sensory Quality Guarantee:** Resident Q-Grader on-site in Quillabamba cupping each lot before offering; optional 3rd-party independent sensory verification.
- **Origin Sourcing Trips & Immersion:** Guided origin audits, on-farm cuppings, and post-harvest workshops in Quillabamba.

## Knowledge Base Articles (English)

### [Mixing two agricultural concepts in La Convención](https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/en/articles/agroforestry)
- **Category:** origin | **Tags:** La Convencion, Culture, Agriculture
- **Published:** 2026-08-01
- **Summary:** Historically, the people of La Convención inherited a unique bicultural heritage: the Andean practice of cultivating crops by elevation, and the Amazonian wisdom of interplanting to sustain the local ecosystem.
- **Key Takeaways:**
  1. What questions this article targets:   
  How La Convención's agricultural practices are deeply rooted in its bicultural ancestry rather than modern techniques alone.   
  2. The solution provided:   
  This article explores the origins of these traditional Andean and Amazonian concepts and demonstrates how local producers combine them today to yield high-quality organic coffee and cacao.

### [The two families of native cacao in La Convencion](https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/en/articles/chuncho_1_2)
- **Category:** cacao | **Tags:** La Convencion, Cacao, Science
- **Published:** 2026-08-01
- **Summary:** There are two families of native cacao in La Convencion. A recent study showed that they are indeed genetically distinct even though they are both from the same province. 
- **Key Takeaways:**
  1. What questions this article targets:     
  How do you navigate marketing noise and misinformation to choose authentic native cacao in Cusco?   
  2. The solution provided:     
  We reviewed a recent peer-reviewed study on the two main native cacao families in La Convención, Cusco, breaking down their key differences and what to expect when sourcing each.

### [Coffee Cultivation in Harmony with Nature in La Convención](https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/en/articles/coffee_agroforestry)
- **Category:** coffee | **Tags:** La Convencion, Farm
- **Published:** 2026-08-01
- **Summary:** Is shade-grown farming a deliberate ecological choice, or an economic necessity? Like La Convención, many smallholders worldwide embrace nature to sustain their livelihoods.
- **Key Takeaways:**
  1. What questions this article targets: 
  How do coffee farms in La Convención actually practice agroforestry?
  2. The solution provided: 
  This article demonstrates how traditional agroforestry creates an ecologically sustainable model while securing overall farm profitability.

### [The transition from Andes highlands to Amazon Rainforest](https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/en/articles/terrain_zones)
- **Category:** origin | **Tags:** La Convencion, Culture, Geography
- **Published:** 2026-08-01
- **Summary:** Spanning from Andean peak to the Amazonian jungle, La Convención is Cusco's historic cultural crossroads. At its heart, Quillabamba seamlessly blends these two worlds into a thriving center for high-altitude coffee and tropical cacao.
- **Key Takeaways:**
  1. What questions this article targets: 
  People are not familiar with the geographic diversity of Cusco, and how it affects agriculture.
  2. The solution provided: 
  Understanding the unique geographic transition from the Andes to the Amazon in La Convención, and how these diverse microclimates create the perfect environment for world-class agriculture.

## 專題知識庫文章 (Traditional Chinese / 繁體中文)

### [兩種農業智慧在 La Convención 的完美融合](https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/articles/agroforestry)
- **分類:** origin | **標籤:** La Convencion, 文化, 農業
- **發布日期:** 2026-08-01
- **摘要:** La Convención的居民繼承了獨特的雙重文化遺產：依循海拔高度種植作物的安地斯傳統，以及透過混栽共生來維護在地生態的亞馬遜智慧
- **核心要點:**
  1. What questions this article targets:   
  人們不了解La Convención如何產出高品質可可與咖啡   
  2. The solution provided:   
  深入解析安地斯與亞馬遜傳統概念的源起，並展現在地農夫如今如何將兩者完美結合，生產出頂級的有機咖啡與可可

### [La Convencion 的兩種原生可可](https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/articles/chuncho_1_2)
- **分類:** 可可 | **標籤:** La Convencion, 可可, 科學
- **發布日期:** 2026-08-01
- **摘要:** La Convencion 有兩種原生可可，分別來自不同的河谷地形，這篇文章從一篇科學期刊文章為基礎介紹這種可可的基本差別，幫助買家做決定 
- **核心要點:**
  1. What questions this article targets:     
  如何排除行銷雜音與錯誤資訊，在庫斯哥挑選正宗的原生可可？  
  2. The solution provided:     
  我們梳理了一項針對庫斯科 La Convención 兩大原生可可家族的最新同行評審研究，解析它們的核心差異，以及採購兩者時各自的預期特性。

### [La Convención 與自然共生的咖啡種植](https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/articles/coffee_agroforestry)
- **分類:** coffee | **標籤:** La Convencion, 農業
- **發布日期:** 2026-08-01
- **摘要:** 遮蔭栽培究竟是深思熟慮的生態選擇，還是經濟現實下的必然之舉？世界上很多小農跟La Convención一樣擁抱自然來增加收入
- **核心要點:**
  1. What questions this article targets: 
  La Convención 的咖啡農場究竟是如何實施混農林業的？
  2. The solution provided: 
  深入解析傳統混農林業如何在打造生態永續模式的同時，保障農場整體的獲利能力

### [一段從安地斯雪白高峰到亞馬遜雨林的旅程](https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/articles/terrain_zones)
- **分類:** origin | **標籤:** 庫斯科, 文化, 地理
- **發布日期:** 2026-08-01
- **摘要:** 從安地斯山脈的高峰延伸至亞馬遜雨林，La Convención 是庫斯科歷史悠久的文化交會點。位於其核心的 Quillabamba 將這兩個世界完美融合，如今已成為高海拔咖啡與熱帶可可蓬勃發展的重鎮
- **核心要點:**
  1. What questions this article targets:   
  一般台灣人對秘魯的地理環境非常陌生    
  2. The solution provided:   
  此文章深入瞭解 La Convención 從安地斯山脈延伸至亞馬遜雨林的獨特地理過渡，以及這些多樣化的微氣候如何打造出孕育世界級農業的絕佳環境

## Contact & Commercial Inquiries

- **Official Website:** https://tapaculocacaocafe.com
- **Primary Inquiries Email:** hola@tapaculocacaocafe.com
- **Origin Operating Base:** Quillabamba, La Convención, Cusco, Peru
- **Target Inquiries:** Green coffee lot reservations, cacao sample requests (2kg micro-lots), custom post-harvest contracts, and origin visit bookings.


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FULL KNOWLEDGE BASE & ARTICLE CORPUS (COMPLETE TEXTS)
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# ENGLISH ARTICLES FULL TEXT

## Article: Mixing two agricultural concepts in La Convención
URL: https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/en/articles/agroforestry
Category: origin | Publish Date: 2026-08-01
Tags: La Convencion, Culture, Agriculture

While the mainstream coffee and cacao industry is always coming up with new methods to help to boost the yield, local farmers tend to stay with their ancestral wisdom in farming. It turns out that the “new” methods promoted by the industry, e.g. shade-grown, is actually an ancient concept here that many farmers take as a “common sense”. In this article, let’s talk about how the local farmers utilize their ancestral knowledge in their agriculture.

**The Andean side**  
Andean civilizations mastered agriculture by treating steep mountain terrain as a vertical staircase of distinct microclimates—a strategy known as the "vertical control of ecological floors." Because temperature and humidity shift dramatically with elevation, traditional farmers matched crops to the altitude where they thrived naturally: frost-hardy tubers like potatoes and native grains like quinoa were cultivated in the frigid high-altitude puna (above 3,000 meters), maize occupied the temperate mid-altitude valleys, and heat-loving crops like coca, fruit, and cacao were grown on the warmer, lower slopes. This is a unique trait of Andean cultures: in other parts of the world, people usually see mountains as a challenge; however, Andean cultures see steep slopes as opportunities. 

The current farmers in La Convención also face the challenge of steep slopes as their ancestors. 

For coffee, they grow different varieties based on the microclimates within the farm. For example, they developed a system to plant Gesha at higher altitudes for its exotic floral flavor, and Catimor at lower altitudes to maximize yield while maintaining a stable flavor profile.

For cacao, since Peru has a diverse genetic base, farmers select strains that thrive at different altitudes. The local Chuncho family, in particular, can survive at higher altitudes due to generations of human selection.

**The Amazonian side**  
Amazonian cultures mastered jungle farming by cultivating crops within the living forest rather than clearing it. This traditional practice is known as agroforestry. Because fragile tropical soils rapidly lose their nutrients when exposed to heavy rains and intense sunlight, indigenous farmers designed multi-layered forest gardens that mimic the natural ecosystem. Shade-tolerant crops like native cacao are interplanted beneath tall canopy trees, fruit trees, and nitrogen-fixing plants. By maintaining this multi-tiered canopy, Amazonian communities naturally protect the soil from erosion, preserve vital moisture, and sustain rich biodiversity without needing synthetic inputs, they let the organic matter circular naturally.  

A typical farm here uses pacay, avocado, or pisonay as a first layer to provide filtered shade. They then sprinkle in other economic trees as a second layer to add diversity, such as plantain, banana, citrus fruits, or cacao. 

**Combining two concepts**  
This isn't a simple 1 + 1 = 2 equation. Combining these two concepts is by no means easy, especially when most of the farms are on steep slopes. For example, to add banana trees to a farm, a farmer needs to find varieties that adapt well to different altitudes. If they add a variety that doesn't work well with the rest of the system, one plus one might end up being less than two. Applying these two concepts in the field relies on generational knowledge accumulated by their ancestors—no wonder they produce award-winning coffee and cacao.

![](agroforestry_2_en.webp)

---

## Article: The two families of native cacao in La Convencion
URL: https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/en/articles/chuncho_1_2
Category: cacao | Publish Date: 2026-08-01
Tags: La Convencion, Cacao, Science

This article combines the main finding from a 2026 research paper with real-world field observations. Follow the link below to read the full study.

Genetic structure of traditional cacao reveals four new genetic lineages in indigenous Amazonian sites in Peru  
[https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0351690](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0351690)

Quick summary, the study classified the genetic family of native cacao in Peru. The authors suggested 4 clusters can be sorted based on their geographical region, each region has its own distinct genetic composition. Within the 4 clusters, two of them are in La Convencion: Chuncho 1, mainly from Urubamba valley, and Chuncho 2, mainly from VRAEM. 

Let’s set up the background for these terms first, in another article we talked about the [geography of La Convención](/articles/terrain_zones), we know that there are two main valleys run through the province: the Urubamba valley and the VRAEM, they were formed by two water systems. Though the direct distance of the two valleys is only 180km, the mountains in between make the total travel time to 10 hours by truck in the modern days; it might have taken days in the past. We can confidently say that because of the geographical barrier the native cacao in each valley developed independently without much interaction between them.   
   
We now have data showing that cacao from the two valleys is genetically distinct. Let’s look at these two cacao families from a farmer’s perspective. To keep things clear, I use names consistent with local usage across this site: Chuncho is the native cacao related to the Urubamba family, and VRAE is the cacao family related to the VRAEM region. I don't follow the study's numerical naming system.

**Chuncho Family**  
Chuncho is a word derived from Quechua used to describe cacao from the Cusco jungle, though it isn't strictly defined or scientifically researched. When you see this term, it's best understood simply as native cacao from Cusco. It represents a family with broad genetic diversity, meaning you won't find a single "typical" flavor profile across Chuncho chocolate unless the beans are sourced from the exact same farm. You might try a mild, fruity dark chocolate or a harsh, spicy one that both use Chuncho cacao. We don't yet have enough research to map all of Chuncho’s traits, nor do we have standardized post-harvest processing. Most of the farms plant the trees from seeds then they select the ones with good results. Each farm has their own selection criteria to achieve the flavor they like. Therefore, each lot of cacao chucho is not one variety, it represents the genetic pool of that farm.  

**Tips on Sourcing Cacao Chuncho**  
Remember that you'll encounter vastly different flavor profiles even when everything is labeled as Cacao Chuncho. Your best bet is to visit the origin in person and taste them until you find what you love.

**VRAE Family**  
The VRAE family also has wide genetics, but more strain identification has been done here. Strains with good flavor and disease resistance have been identified, and clones are shared with other farms. Some of the strains you see on the market are VRAE-99, VRAE-52, VRAE-15, and Bella Vista. You can expect a consistent flavor profile when tasting chocolate made from the same strain (e.g., VRAE-99), even across different chocolate manufacturers. In addition to these well-established strains, there is still a lot of native cacao in the region that hasn’t gone through the identification process; it all falls under the name native cacao.

**Tips on Sourcing Cacao from VRAEM**  
**F**or established strains, it is safe to order online after tasting samples. The flavor profile won’t vary too much between farms. Overall production is higher, and some cooperatives accept orders of up to one container. For lesser-known native strains, you will still need to come to the origin to check the flavor profile and production situation.  
   
   
**Conclusion**  
The native cacao from both valleys is native Peruvian cacao with a fine aroma, and both have won various international prizes. From my own experience, VRAE-99 is well-established and can be used to produce craft chocolate in higher quantities. On the contrary, Chuncho is more of an adventure, the results can be unexpected. With lower production and higher variability, it’s better suited for limited editions each year.

---

## Article: Coffee Cultivation in Harmony with Nature in La Convención
URL: https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/en/articles/coffee_agroforestry
Category: coffee | Publish Date: 2026-08-01
Tags: La Convencion, Farm

Agroforestry in coffee farms  
In a previous article, we talked about how the concept of agroforestry is an ancestral practice [(link)](/articles/agroforestry). In this article, I want to discuss the decision to practice agroforestry in modern times and share what I experienced here.  

First of all, "agroforestry" is a blanket term used to describe how local farmers manage their crops. It is often used interchangeably with forest gardening, silvopasture, regenerative agriculture, permaculture, or shade-grown farming. They all refer to the core concept of treating the farm as an ecosystem so nutrients circulate in a balanced way to minimize environmental impact. The farmers in La Convención don't follow just one specific approach: some follow their ancestors' wisdom to make peace with Mother Earth, while others simply lack the resources to invest in an industrialized farming system. Agroforestry might be a choice, or simply a sign of poverty.

Unlike in neighboring coffee powerhouses like Brazil or Colombia, where coffee farms usually operate on a large scale, the farms in La Convención are typically tiny and hidden on cloud forest slopes. You won’t see coffee trees arranged in neat rows or a huge wet mill sitting next to the field.

![When wandering around the mountains outside Quillabamba](coffee_agro_1.webp)

![You won’t notice you are in a coffee cultivation unless you see the red cherries](coffee_agro_2.webp)

![The coffee trees are normally planted with other trees, some of them provide shade, some of them provide other fruits](coffee_agro_3.webp)

**The Main Reason for Forest Gardening**  
This is the norm for most coffee farms in La Convención, where coffee trees are part of a broader forest garden. Farmers usually include other cash crops, such as native cacao, bananas, plantains, citrus (oranges, lemons, and 10 other types), passion fruit, avocados, eucalyptus, turmeric, tubers, and various other plants. All these crops provide extra income for the family.

Back when most farmers worked with commercial coffee, they suffered from C-price fluctuation, sometimes the price was so low that they couldn’t make a profit to support their families. Because it was very hard to survive on coffee alone, more and more different crops were introduced to their farms. Ancestral wisdom kicks in when they plant these new crops: removing trees to make space is not the first option; instead, they consider the overall space and nearby plants. The result is what we see in the images above: a chaotic lush green.

Recently, with the growing focus on sustainability, many farms around the world are shifting toward the practices La Convención has been implementing for generations. Local farmers here have so much experience to share with the world about practicing agroforestry.

---

## Article: The transition from Andes highlands to Amazon Rainforest
URL: https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/en/articles/terrain_zones
Category: origin | Publish Date: 2026-08-01
Tags: La Convencion, Culture, Geography

When people think of Cusco, what typically comes to mind is the iconic Incan city located at 3,400 meters above sea level. However, Cusco is also the name of an entire department encompassing a vast variety of landscapes, stretching from alpine highlands all the way to the dense rainforest. Geographically, the province of La Convención accounts for more than half of the department, making it the largest province in the region. In this article, we will explore La Convención’s dynamic geography and discover how this transition, from snow-capped high mountain peaks down to lowland jungle has shaped the culture and history of this fascinating land.

The area’s highest peak is the sacred mountain of Salkantay (**number 1** on the image). Local Andean communities regard this peak as a protective guardian spirit that controls weather and agriculture. The famous Salkantay trek hikes past the peak before descending into the valley carved by the Rio Vilcanota (**number 2** on the image) and eventually reaching Machu Picchu (**number 3** on the image). The Rio Vilcanota, also known as the Rio Urubamba, is one of the source waters of the Amazon River, serving as the primary waterway through the Urubamba Valley until it reaches the Amazon Rainforest (**number 5** on the image).

![Salkantay from Quillabamba](salkantay_1.webp)

While descending further into the valley, we arrive at Quillabamba (**number 4** on the image), the capital city of the province. Historically, this is the place where Andean culture met Amazonian culture. Though the Inca Empire occupied a huge part of South America, they never fully controlled the Amazonian region. The tropical rainforest was just too different for the people from the mountains; they couldn’t stand the heat or the unfamiliar plants and insects. Since the mountain people did not want to go down and the rainforest people did not want to go up, they maintained a friendly business relationship. Quillabamba was selected as the trading location for both worlds due to its 1,000-meter elevation and relatively flat terrain. In the local Quechua language, "quilla" means moon and "bamba" means flat land; trade was usually held on the full moon, hence the name Quillabamba was created. Today, Quillabamba serves as a central hub for coffee and cacao production, benefiting from its proximity to both coffee farms at higher elevations and cacao farms at lower altitudes. This convergence of Andean and Amazonian cultures makes the city uniquely compelling.

Across the province lies another river system forming a distinct valley: the VRAEM (Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers, **number 6** on the image). While this area resembles the Urubamba Valley, its lack of significant Andean cultural influence makes it distinctly more Amazonian. Both valleys share similar terrain zones and microclimates. Considering the geography of La Convención, there is a dramatic transition from high mountains to low jungle, and two major valleys that traverse the province to eventually reach the Amazon rainforest.

---


# 繁體中文文章完整內容 (TRADITIONAL CHINESE ARTICLES)

## 文章: 兩種農業智慧在 La Convención 的完美融合
網址: https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/articles/agroforestry
分類: origin | 發布日期: 2026-08-01
標籤: La Convencion, 文化, 農業

在購買咖啡和巧克力時，包裝上常常有好多種認證標章，譬如說有機認證或是遮陰種植認證，這些在工業化的農業系統中是很”新”的概念，但在我們這裡卻是老祖宗流傳下來的智慧，他們世代傳下來的農場一直是雨林認證的有機友善鳥類遮陰種植。這篇文章讓我們來了解這裡的農人怎麼承襲安地斯和亞馬遜文化的農業概念。

**安地斯文化的智慧**  
安地斯文明將陡峭的山地地形視為由不同微氣候組成的垂直階梯，發展出善用溫度與濕度變化的智慧農業系統。傳統農夫會將作物栽種在最適合其天然生長的海拔高度：耐寒的塊莖植物（如馬鈴薯）與本土穀物（如藜麥）栽種於氣候嚴寒的高海拔草原區（puna，海拔 3,000 公尺以上）；溫和的中海拔山谷則種植玉米；而喜熱的古柯、水果與可可，則分佈在較溫暖的低海拔山坡。這是安地斯文化獨一無二的特質，世界上其他地區大多視高山為挑戰，而安地斯文化利用高山的高度變化建立出一個農業系統使作物更具多樣性，不會因為一種作物歉收造成飢荒。

如今，La Convención的農夫也面臨著與祖先相同的陡坡挑戰

以咖啡來說，他們會根據農場內的微氣候栽種不同的品種，他們發展出一套栽培系統，例如gesha較容易在高海拔(1800m 左右)發展出花香，而catimor容易在較低的海拔(1000m 左右)有高產量同時有穩定的風味表現。

至於可可，由於秘魯擁有豐富的多樣化基因庫，農夫會挑選能適應不同海拔的株系，特別是當地的 Chuncho 品系，經過千年來的選育，甚至可以在較高的海拔(1500m)種植。

**亞馬遜雨林文化的智慧**  
亞馬遜文化面對的挑戰不一樣，由於脆弱的熱帶土壤在強降雨與烈日暴曬下容易迅速流失養分，原住民農夫設計出了模擬天然生態系的多層次森林花園，他們不在林地進行砍伐開墾，而是在活生生的森林中栽種作物，這項傳統做法也就是我們現在所說的農林混作（Agroforestry）。透過維持這種多層次的樹冠結構，亞馬遜社群無須依賴化學資材，就能自然地防止土壤侵蝕、鎖住關鍵水分並維繫豐富的生物多樣性，讓有機質在系統內自然循環。

這裡典型的農場會以pacay、酪梨或pisonay作為第一層，用來提供過濾後的溫和遮蔭。接著，農夫會點綴性地種植其他經濟樹種作為第二層以增加多樣性，例如芭蕉、香蕉、柑橘類水果或可可，這種多層次森林花園的概念跟我們一般想像的”田”或”果園”差很多，在這裡看不到單一作物栽培的整齊風貌，大多是雜亂且脫序的自然演出。

**兩種概念的融合**  
要融合這兩種改念絕不是單純1 + 1 = 2的問題，特別是在多數農場都位於陡坡的情況下。舉例來說，若想在農場裡加入香蕉樹，農夫必須找到能夠適應不同海拔高度的品種。如果引進了無法與既有系統良好協調的品種，最終結果甚至可能小於二。將這兩種概念落實於田間，全靠祖先代代相傳、累積下來的世代智慧，也難怪他們能生產出屢獲大獎的頂級咖啡與可可。

![](agroforestry_2_zh-TW.webp)

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## 文章: La Convencion 的兩種原生可可
網址: https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/articles/chuncho_1_2
分類: 可可 | 發布日期: 2026-08-01
標籤: La Convencion, 可可, 科學

這篇文章結合了 2026 年一篇期刊文章的主要發現與實際在產區走跳的經驗探討庫斯科區域的兩種原生可可，請點擊下方連結閱讀完整研究：

Genetic structure of traditional cacao reveals four new genetic lineages in indigenous Amazonian sites in Peru  
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0351690

超級簡短結論：這項研究對秘魯原生可可的基因譜系進行了分類。作者指出可以根據地理區域分為 4 個分群，每個區域都有其獨特的基因組成。在這 4 個分群中，有兩個位於我們所在的La Convención：Chuncho 1，主要來自Urubamba 河谷 以及 Chuncho 2，主要來自 VRAEM 河谷。

先讓我們了解一下地理環境，在另一篇文章中我們討論過[La Convención 的地形與地理分區](/articles/terrain_zones)，我們知道有兩個主要的沖積河谷一左一右貫穿該省：Urubamba 與 VRAEM，雖然這兩條河谷的直線距離只有 180 公里，由於山路蜿蜒，現在車程10個小時的路在古時候可能要好幾個禮拜。

有了這個科學證據後，我們可以很有把握地說，由於地理屏障，各河谷中的原生可可是獨立發展，彼此之間沒有太多交流，可以說是兩邊都是代表La Convención的原生可可。現在讓我們從當地農夫的角度來看看這兩個原生可可。為了保持一致性，我在這個網站上一律使用符合當地人習慣的名稱：Chuncho 是在Urubamba河谷附近的原生可可，而 VRAE 則是與 VRAEM 地區相關的原生可可,我沒有採用研究論文中的數字編號命名。

**Chuncho 家族**  
Chuncho是一個源自Quechua語言的詞，用來描述來自Cusco叢林的可可，這個字的使用並沒有被嚴格定義或經過充分的科學研究。所以當你在巧克力的包裝上看到這個字時，最好簡單理解為來自Cusco的原生可可，代表了一個具有廣泛基因多樣性的家族，除非豆子來自完全相同的農場，否則不會在 Chuncho 巧克力中找到單一的代表風味，可能會吃到溫和且帶有果香的巧克力，也可能會吃到強烈且帶有辛香料味的巧克力，包裝上只會寫Chuncho。

目前產業界還沒有足夠的研究來掌握 Chuncho 的所有特性，也沒有標準化的採收後處理流程。大多數農場都是從種子開始種植，然後篩選出表現好的植株，每個農場都有自己的選株標準，近年來由於基因研究較普及，開始有用插枝的方式複製風味好的可可樹來達到他們喜歡的風味，但整體來說大部分的農場還是有非常高的基因多樣性。因此，每一批 Chuncho 可可並非單一品種，而是代表了該農場的基因庫。

**採購 Chuncho 可可的建議**  
即使全部都標示為 Chuncho 可可，你也會遇到截然不同的風味表現。最好的方法是親自造訪產地並親自品嘗，直到找到你喜歡的風味。每一年的可可風味也會有變動，要使用這種風味複雜的原生可可建議每年都到產區一趟。

**VRAE 家族**  
VRAE 家族同樣具有廣泛的基因多樣性，但這裡進行了更多的株系鑑定，已經鑑定出風味佳且抗病力強的株系，並將無性繁殖的苗木分享給在地農場種植。在市場上常看到的一些株系包括 VRAE-99、VRAE-52、VRAE-15 和 Bella Vista。當品嘗由相同株系（例如 VRAE-99）製成的巧克力時，即使來自不同的巧克力製造商，也可以期待獲得相似的風味表現。除了這些成熟的株系之外，該地區仍有許多未經過基因鑑定的原生可可，一般在市場上都是以Native cacao販售，這些原生可可有些適合製作巧克力有些不適合，走一趟VRAEM絕對是可可迷一生中必須做的事情。

**採購 VRAEM 可可的建議**  
對於已被廣泛使用的成熟株系，從網路上找供應商，驗過樣品後收到風味迥異的可可風險相對小，整批貨的品質也不會差異太大。VRAE可可產量較高，有些合作社甚至有能力接受一個貨櫃的訂單。至於相對新的原生株系，仍需要親自來到產地確認風味表現和產量狀況。

**結語**  
這兩條河谷的原生可可都是具有精緻香氣的秘魯原生可可，且雙雙獲得過多項國際大獎。以我個人的經驗來看，VRAE-99 發展成熟，可用於較大規模地生產精品巧克力。而Chuncho 更像是一場冒險，結果可能會出乎意料。由於產量較低且變異性高，每年風味可能不太一樣，比較適合用於每年推出的限量版產品。

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## 文章: La Convención 與自然共生的咖啡種植
網址: https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/articles/coffee_agroforestry
分類: coffee | 發布日期: 2026-08-01
標籤: La Convencion, 農業

在另一篇文章中，我們討論過混農林業（Agroforestry）的概念源自老祖宗的智慧[（連結）](/articles/agroforestry)。在這篇文章裡，我想聊聊現代La Convencion 的咖啡農怎麼看待混農林業。

首先，混農林業是一個概括性的統稱，用來描述這裡農夫管理作物的系統，這個詞與森林園藝（forest gardening）、林牧共生（silvopasture）、再生農業（regenerative agriculture）、永續農業（permaculture）或遮蔭栽培（shade-grown farming）等概念通用，他們的核心概念都是將農場視為一個生態系統，讓礦物質與養分在系統中循環，對環境的衝擊降到最低以達到永續的目標。那為什麼這裡的農場會選擇永續的方式種植呢?我認為他們並沒有對這些議題深入探討，以外地人的角度看這些是個”選擇”，但有可能有些農夫只是順應祖先的智慧，選擇與大地母親和平共處；有些則只是缺乏資源去投資工業化的農業系統。實施混農林業可能是一種主動選擇，也可能單純是貧困的象徵。

祕魯不像鄰近的咖啡大國巴西或哥倫比亞的高度工業化農場，La Convencion的農場都不大，且隱蔽在雲霧森林的山坡上。你不會在這裡看到整齊排列成行的咖啡樹，也不會看到咖啡田旁的濕處理廠。

![漫步在 Quillabamba 郊外的山區時](coffee_agro_1.webp)

![除非看到紅色的咖啡櫻桃，否則你很難察覺自己置身於咖啡田之中](coffee_agro_2.webp)

![咖啡樹通常與其他樹木混種，有些提供遮蔭，有些則提供其他水果](coffee_agro_3.webp)

**發展混農林業的主要原因**  
混農林業是La Convencion大多數咖啡農場的常態，咖啡樹只是廣闊森林園藝中的一部分。農夫通常會混種其他經濟作物，例如：原生可可、香蕉、芭蕉、柑橘類（柳橙、檸檬及其他 10 種柑橘）、百香果、酪梨、尤加利樹、薑黃、塊莖植物以及其他各種植物，所有這些作物都能為家庭帶來額外收入。

過去當大多數農夫都在種植商業咖啡豆時，他們深受咖啡期貨價格波動之苦，有時價格低到連養家糊口都有困難。因為光靠咖啡實在難以生存，農夫們便開始在農場引進越來越多不同的作物，每多一種作物就增加一個獲利機會，分散了單一作物歉收或價格崩跌的風險，當他們種植這些新作物時，祖傳的智慧便發揮了作用：砍樹清出空間絕非首選，相反地，他們會根據整體空間與周遭的植物決定如何加入新植物，最終的成果就是我們在上方照片中所看到的：一片混亂卻生意盎然的茂密綠意。

隨著永續發展愈來愈重要，世界上許多農場開始往混農林業的方向改變，La Convencion 的人們已經在這裡用這樣的模式種植作物好多世代，我期望有天可以做一個系統性的科學研究探討這裡的人怎麼處理永續生存的議題，這樣可以對永續農業提供另一個切入角度。

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## 文章: 一段從安地斯雪白高峰到亞馬遜雨林的旅程
網址: https://tapaculocacaocafe.com/articles/terrain_zones
分類: origin | 發布日期: 2026-08-01
標籤: 庫斯科, 文化, 地理

一想到Cusco，大家腦海中是不是立刻浮現出那個海拔 3,400 公尺高的經典印加古城呢？但其實庫斯科在祕魯的行政區域規劃裡除了是個城市還是整個區域的名稱，整個Cusco涵蓋了從海拔6000公尺的高山到海拔300公尺的雨林，這篇文章我會介紹Cusco裡生產咖啡和可可的主要省份:La Convención 的地理環境。

La Convención 面積 30,062 平方公里，對比台灣 35,808 平方公里，大概是台灣扣掉高雄和屏東那麼大。 讓我們用上面這幅示意圖了解境內重要的地形

以一句話描述 La Convención:  
一天內走過四季溫度變化

**編號 1: 境內最高峰 Salkantay**  
對當地安地斯信仰中掌管天氣與農業的守護神，山頭終年白雪皚皚，許多遊客拜訪馬丘比丘的路線會選擇經過這裡體驗古印加人平日的移動路線。

![從家裡外面眺望遠方的Salkantay](salkantay_1.webp)

**編號 2: Vilcanota/Urubamba 河**  
這條河源自於遠方的Vilcanota山脈，一路流經印加的Sacred Valley聖谷，再往下進入La Convención，Urubamba縱谷便是由這條和切出來的，之後河的名稱變換為Urubamba河，一路往下流連結不同的河流後最後接入亞馬遜河，來馬丘比丘的人都會經過這條河，這是一條對印加人有著神聖涵義的河流。

**編號 3: 馬丘比丘**  
南美洲最觀光的景點，很多人不知道祕魯在哪裡但知道世界上有個古城馬丘比丘。大部分旅客來祕魯主要原因就是拜訪馬丘比丘，而我們的產區就離這個景點這麼近!

**編號 4: Quillabamba**  
我們家，區域內咖啡和可可產業的中心，在這裡生活的人大部分都跟咖啡可可產業有關，海拔約一千公尺，往上爬種咖啡，往下溜種可可。剛好咖啡跟可可採收季節錯開，許多農場橫跨海拔1000-2000公尺，形成下面種可可上面種咖啡的有趣景象。

這個區域同時是安地斯文化和亞馬遜文化的交會點，這兩類文化歷史上從來沒有被互相統治過，高山的人受不了雨林的熱與蚊蟲，雨林的人上山就高山症，於是處於中間的Quillabamba成為兩邊人做生意的地方，雨林向上輸出古柯葉、可可豆、稀有動物製品、黃金、草藥等等，換取肉乾、鹽、金屬工具、陶器、馬鈴薯、織品等等。

Quilla在quechua語言意思是月亮，bamba意思是平坦之地，地名由來就是兩邊選在月圓之日在平坦之地交易，由於這個地理條件形成了特殊的文化融合，來這裡會看到人們使用雨林文化的衣服也會看到來自高山的傳統。

**編號 5: 亞馬遜雨林**  
沿著河流再往下就會接到一般認知的亞馬遜雨林，亞馬遜河是由很多不同的支流形成的，祕魯這邊是源頭，從Cusco往北流接到主流後再往東、往巴西流到大西洋出海。

**編號 6: VRAEM**  
區域內的另一個河谷，由另外一個河流系統長期沖刷而成，圖中可以看出這一區離Quillabamba直線距離不遠但是由於都是蜿蜒山路，單程交通時間約10的小時，中間得爬過3000公尺的山，也因為離Cusco較遠所以沒有受到很多印加文化的影響，目前主力生產當地的可可原生種，精品咖啡在快速發展中。

La Convención 有雪、有河、有溫帶林、有熱帶林、有瀑布、多變地貌形成多種微氣候，有著數千年可可種植的傳統。精品咖啡開始推廣後開始在較高海拔種植咖啡，成效不錯，成為祕魯可以同時衝擊可可和咖啡競賽的超級產區。

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