MEXICO Cristal

This week’s coffee comes to us from Mexico, a country well-known for its coffee production. It may come as a surprise however, to know that coffee is relatively new to Mexico, having only been cultivated there for around 300 years. Those haven’t been easy years either, owing mostly to economic and political turmoil, as well as regular struggles to overcome common coffee diseases like leaf rust. This specific coffee is a regional blend, pulling together lots from Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Its nature is subtle and understated, perhaps a welcome contrast from the more experimental releases as of late., This coffee is the epitome of the term “daily driver”. It’s flexible and consistent, offering a clean and pleasant drinking experience as a pourover or drip coffee while also offering enough sweetness to make for an exceptional expresso, particularly for a milk beverage. From start to finish, the flavor characteristics are stable and linear, with only a subtle brighntess growing as it cools. The standout notes are dried red fruit, particularaly cascara and cherry. These brighter notes are backed up by notable sweetness like brown sugar. The finish is clean without any dryness and leaves a subtle hint of baking spice on the palate.