Mexico Chiapas San Cristobal

Mexican coffee is not a favorite at our shop, but there are always exceptions, and this one deserves some love. It leans more chocolatey, and tastes like a bright Guatemalan bean. 

The two main regions of Mexican coffee are Chiapas and Oaxaca. Both can be nice, but the Chiapas is close to the border of Guatemala and in general has a better reputation than Oaxaca coffees. You want the ones high up the mountain, which this one is. In fact, it is just outside the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, one of the world's most diverse forests. The reserve has what's known as a "cloud forest," which is constant low level clouds and almost constant rain/fog/mist which the coffee plants love. The forest is a refuge for thousands of plant and animal species.

The co-op that grew this coffee is called Ki-Sayaab which means "Tasty Nature" in the indigenous Mayan language of the area. 

San Cristobal, located in the dramatically undulated tropical highlands of Chiapas, experiences significant variations in weather, from warm and wet to cool and dry. This combined with rich soil, creates ideal conditions for growing coffee.

This Mexico coffee shares a lot of traits with a Guatemala Huehuetenango, which is right across the border from it. The lighter roasts are my favorite and are nutty and bright with a little bit of citrus zest. We like this one several degrees lighter than most Chiapas coffees. If you do take it into the second cracks, the coffee is rich and smooth, creamy big body, no earthiness, chocolate and nutty in the aftertaste.

US Arrival: August 2023