Yoloxochitlán

The Sierra Mazateca is a mountain range located to the north of Oaxaca City. The region is very remote, hard to access, and is marked by its steep and dramatic topography. It takes its name from the indigenous Mazatec, a Nahualt name that translates as “the deer people”. In their own language, however, the Mazatec refer to themselves as Ha shuta Enima, which means “those who work the hills”.

The Mazateca is also known for its more mystic elements, with a strong culture of shamanism and psychoactive mushroom use. It became an unlikely centre for alternative tourism in the 1960s and 70s after a local healer called María Sabina allowed Westerners to participate in the velada healing ritual.

Today the region is rarely visited, and even in the coffee world it is often neglected due to its remote location, challenging conditions, and small production. Even by Oaxaca’s standards, production yields are tiny, in part due to the cool temperatures. Coffee is generally grown at 1,600 MASL and above, and at this latitude, these altitudes experience very low temperatures making frost damage a real issue for producers.

On the other hand, the climate and altitude contribute positively to the cup profile, and in general, coffees from the Mazateca are amongst the most complex and high quality in all of Mexico.

Our partners in the region, Thomas and Shaun of Red Beetle Coffee Lab, have done incredible work in recent years to help improve quality, and to allow the producers of the Mazateca to access the speciality coffee market, and the higher prices that accompany it. We are proud to support their work, and to be able to share this beautiful example of high quality Oaxacan coffee with you.

You can read more about the work that Red Beetle do here.