Description
These beans represent a curated amalgam of coffees from the country’s three premier growing regions: Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Selected specifically for its clean profile and affordability, this lot serves as a highly versatile option, working equally well as a neutral base component for blends or as a straightforward, easy-drinking single-origin daily drinker. As a fully washed coffee, it delivers a cup free of defects with a notable consistency that justifies the “Cristal” name, offering a reliable standard for those seeking a classic Mexican profile without the higher price point of estate micro-lots.
This coffee is cultivated by smallholder farmers at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 1,800 meters above sea level. Unlike many regions that have transitioned almost exclusively to disease-resistant modern hybrids, this lot maintains a genetic base largely comprised of traditional varieties such as Bourbon, Typica, and Mundo Novo. While these older varieties are generally lower-yielding and more susceptible to leaf rust, they are preserved in these high-altitude zones because they offer a superior cup quality compared to heartier hybrids. Much of this production comes from the buffer zones surrounding the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, where shade-grown coffee managed by local cooperatives has become essential for environmental conservation and economic stability following the dissolution of state-run support systems in previous decades.
Tasting Notes This coffee serves as a fantastic daily drinker, particularly shining at medium to dark roast levels where it produces a very chocolaty cup with a fuller body and low acidity. While light to medium roasts offer a crisp and sweet experience with hints of citric balance, nutty undertones, and a pinch of herbal spice, we found the cup truly excels when taken darker. At these medium to dark levels, the profile becomes creamy and dominated by semi-sweet chocolate and nutty tones, with a complimentary roasty note emerging as you approach the second crack. If roasted lighter, a longer setup time can transform the inherent woody edge into a tasty caramel twist, though the cup is generally less distinctive than its darker counterparts. It is wonderful for classic espresso or for those who add a splash of milk or creamer.
Roasting Notes These beans are super fresh and tend to take just a pinch longer to roast than average, producing medium to low chaff levels. Because this is an aggregate lot from various smallholders, the roast color may not be perfectly even; however, shooting for a medium to dark roast keeps the process very easy and masks these visual variances. While the coffee is clean enough for lighter roasting, it requires specific attention: drop temperatures and enter first crack slowly to help even out the roast, ensuring you push just past first crack to avoid grassy tones. Ultimately, this bean will appeal most to medium and dark roast fans, as the chocolate factors are significantly accentuated at these levels, whereas lighter roasts though clean may lack the distinctiveness found in the darker profiles.
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