Mexican Coffee

Various high quality coffees are produced in Mexico, and and they are typically wet processed (washed). Some of the best Mexican coffees come from Oaxaca, Coatepec, and Chiapas, and small organic farms produce much of the country’s finest coffees.

Characteristics of Mexican Coffees

These fine Mexican coffees, which often approach or exceed the definition of a gourmet coffee, are known for having light body and acidity, often with a nutty flavor, perhaps with chocolaty overtones. The finest Mexican coffees have a delicate body with an acidy snap and very pleasant dryness like a fine white wine.

Mexican Oaxaca Pluma Coffee

Particularly distinguished is the coffee from the southern slopes of the central mountains in the southern state of Oaxaca called Oaxaca Pluma coffee and known for its light body and light acidity.

Mexican Chiapas Coffee

Chiapas coffee is grown in the southern state of Chiapas and distinguished for its light, delicate flavor and rich, brisk acidity with a light to medium body.

Particularly notable is the Chiapas coffee grown in the state’s southeast corner in the mountainous region near the Guatemalan border, and often labeled with the market name Tapachula, the name of the nearby town. A fine Chiapas coffee is said to rival the complexity and power of the finer Guatemalan coffees.

Mexico’s Coffee Growing Regions

Mexican coffee is classified by altitude, and much of the country’s coffee is used for blending and/or dark-roasted coffees. Coffee has been planted in Mexico since the late 1700s, and most of the country’s coffee now comes from the country’s southern region where the continent becomes narrower and bends to the east.

On the gulf side of Mexico’s central mountain range is Veracruz State where most of the coffee is grown in the lowlands and is unremarkable.

The nearby mountainous region, however, produces the respected Altura Coatepec named after the town of Coatepec and distinguished for its nutty flavor, light body, and a brightness with chocolaty overtones.

Other respected coffees of Veracruz are Altura Huatusco, Altura Orizaba, and the most highly-respected, Altura Coatepec.

Mexico’s Coffee Plant Varietals

Coffee plant varietals grown in Mexico are mostly Bourbon (Coffea arabica var. bourbon), Caturra (Coffea arabica var. caturra), Maragogype (Coffea arabica var. maragogype), and Mundo Novo (Coffea arabica var. mundo novo).