PRODUCER: Multiple

LOCATION: San Bartolomé Ayautla, Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca

PROCESS: Washed

VARIETY: Typica, Bourbon, Mundo Novo

NOUGAT, SNICKER CHEW, BROWN SUGAR, MILK CHOCOLATE

The Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca – home to some of the best coffees in Mexico but also home to, perhaps, the greatest obstacles.  Most prominent in the region are the towns of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón, San Mateo Yoloxochitlán, Huautla de Jiménez and this coffee from San Bartolomé Ayautla.

The Sierra Mazateca is part of the Sierre Madre de Oaxaca mountain range, located in the far north of Oaxaca state. The area is named after the indigenous Mazatec people who live in this area. We are proud to be able to work with many of the indigenous coffee producers in the towns of Huautla de Jiménez, San Mateo Yoloxochitlán and Eloxochitlán de Flores Magon to create these “community microlots.”

Mexico is full of very small coffee producers - some producing as little as 5-10 kg peryear. The limited quantities do not mean quality is low, often quite the opposite is true. What makes Oaxaca an especially unique area of Mexico for coffee is that the internal market is also very willing to buy Oaxacan coffees. So, our importing partner Osito and their partners on the ground in Mexico have to work hard and compete to be able to source these tiny lots, then spend considerable time and effort to put together the lots of similar cup quality/profile, moisture content and water activity.

For all the time and effort it takes to secure lots, it is always worth it - these coffees are exciting and showcase a side of Mexican coffee often unexplored and underappreciated.