Sightglass Coffee: Peru – Women of Coffee Series Review

A limited release highlighting women producers in Peru

Our friends over at Sightglass Coffee sent us over a bag of their Peru release from the Women of Coffee Series, and it disappeared faster than anything I’ve brewed in a long time. Being ADHD I drink coffee every day and go through plenty of beans, but every now and then something stands out enough that you notice the difference immediately. This was one certainly of those bags.

Sightglass is a San Francisco roaster that has built a strong reputation in specialty coffee over the past decade. As they have put it, “Ultimately, we aim to deliver the highest quality achievable in all aspects of our business, whether that be sourcing the most beautiful and wondrous coffees attainable or employing the most mindful and quality-focused practices possible.”. This Peru release fits squarely into that philosophy, as well as delivers with high marks for taste and enjoyability. It’s smooth, approachable, and extremely easy to keep drinking. In short: I miss that bag of coffee already.

The Women of Coffee Series

The Women of Coffee Series is a limited program from Sightglass that highlights women producers from different coffee-growing regions around the world. The idea behind the series is simple: feature coffees grown and managed by women farmers and bring attention to their work within the specialty coffee market. This particular release comes from Peru’s Finca Churumpapa Women’s Group, located in the Chirinos region.

Many of the women in the cooperative manage both their households and their coffee farms independently. In many cases their partners have emigrated for work, leaving them solely responsible for the farms and harvests. The cooperative operates a training center focused on improving coffee production and helping farmers raise the overall quality of their crops while also helping farmers break cycles of poverty. Programs like this play a significant role in specialty coffee because quality improvements often translate directly into higher prices paid to growers. Access to buyers such as Sightglass allows producers to receive premiums for exceptional lots rather than selling into lower priced commodity markets.

Sightglass also notes that a portion of the proceeds from this release supports La Cocina, a San Francisco nonprofit that helps women, immigrant, and BIPOC entrepreneurs launch food businesses.

Roast Details and Flavor Profile

The bag lists tasting notes of: Persimmon, cocoa nib, and nougat. The roast level sits comfortably in the medium range, which matches the flavor profile well. The first thing I noticed when brewing this coffee was how gentle the acidity is. Some coffees lead with a bright edge right away, and this one takes a softer approach. The first sip opens with mild sweetness before transitioning into a deeper chocolate tone.

The cocoa note becomes more obvious as the cup cools, and the finish lingers with a subtle sweetness that keeps the flavor from feeling heavy. It’s the sort of cup that works just as well for slow sipping as it does for your second or third refill of the morning. Overall it’s an extremely smooth coffee. Nothing about it feels aggressive or overly sharp, and that balance makes it very easy to brew daily.

I brewed most of this bag using a standard French press setup, though it also worked well as drip as well. Even when I pushed the brew slightly stronger than usual, the flavor stayed balanced and never turned bitter. By the end of the bag it had become the coffee I reached for automatically every morning.

Why I’d Love to See This as Instant Coffee

One thing I kept thinking while brewing this was how well it would translate into Sightglass’s instant coffee lineup. I’ve tried every instant offering they currently make, and they’re among the best I’ve found in the industry. The flavor is much closer to a fresh pour over than the instant coffee most people are used to in an instant variety. That quality makes it especially useful for travel and backpacking, where bringing a full brewing setup isn’t practical.

Sightglass instant coffee has become a regular part of my gear kit for backcountry trips. It’s also the packet I bring along on road trips and hotel stays where the house coffee usually isn’t worth brewing. If this Peru release ever made its way into their instant series, it would immediately become one of the best options available for that format (in my humble opinion).

Sightglass Coffee: Peru – Don’t Pass This By

This Peru release from the Sightglass Women of Coffee Series ended up being one of the more memorable coffees I’ve brewed in a while. The cup is balanced and smooth, the sourcing story highlights an important part of the coffee industry, and the beans themselves are simply enjoyable to drink day after day. By the time the bag was empty it had already earned a spot among my personal favorites. Thanks to the team at Sightglass Coffee for sending this bag over!

If you’re interested in exploring what they’re doing with the Women of Coffee Series, this Peru release is a strong place to start. It’s a thoughtful project built around quality coffee and the producers behind it, and the result speaks for itself in the cup.

Writer’s note: This review was written by me without any external influence as to what to say. I am an independent reviewer sharing my thoughts and opinions and my opinions are mine and mine alone (no one buys them). If you would like to help support my website and Youtube channel, the links above are affiliate links, and I do earn commission from qualifying purchases. Thank you and have a great day!