Mexican Oaxaca Temaxcalapa – Sierra Norte – Washed Processed

Burman Coffee Traders

Details

Process

Washed

Roast Suitability

Description

A nice new crop arrival out of Oaxaca! This lot comes from a group of smallholder farmers based in Santa María Temaxcalapa, a small municipality tucked into the Villa Alta District, deep in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca (also known as the Sierra Juárez). It’s a rugged, heavily wooded region historically inhabited by Zapotec communities, where coffee is grown on small family plots under shade, as part of a traditional agroforestry system. The farms sit between 1000 and 1115 meters above sea level, on the clay-rich soils typical of this part of the sierra. The lot is a blend of Pluma, Typica and Bourbon, the classic varieties of Oaxacan coffee. Pluma is itself a natural mutation of Typica that developed in southern Oaxaca, and it’s a big part of what gives these coffees that clean, sweet, well-rounded profile they’re known for. Processing is traditional fully washed: cherries are depulped, fermented and then sun-dried on patios and raised beds. Harvest runs from December through March. This is a conventional coffee, no certifications, but with the kind of attention to detail you really only see in lots handled by small producers processing their own cherry. Tasting Notes: A clean, balanced and easy-drinking cup, typical of a well-made Mexican coffee. We thought it best at a medium roast: the acidity is soft and well-mannered, present but never sharp, while the real character comes from a rounded body and a sweet caramel and chocolate backbone. It works especially well as a daily drinker and is a solid choice for milk-based drinks, where the chocolate notes come through nicely without turning bitter. Light-medium roasts bring out clear caramel sweetness, a soft citric acidity and a light tropical edge. Medium roasts push the caramel toward milk chocolate and round out the body into something creamy. Medium-dark roasts lose the fruity/citric edge but pick up bittersweet chocolate, toasted nut and a touch of smoke, staying smooth without turning harsh. Roasting Notes: A fle