Mexico | Las Nieves COE #1 | Geisha | Natural

Origin

• 🇲🇽 Mexico

Tasting notes

Character

• Funky
  20

Region: San Juan, Lachao , Oaxaca Elevation: 1150-1500 masl About: The town of San Juan and the micro-region of Oaxaca de Juárez were once a thriving coffee-growing region. With their close proximity to Puerto Escondido (now a world-c las s surfing destination) and the high elevation provided by the Southern Sierra Madre Mountains, the region seemed to have all the elements necessary for success. However, declining coffee prices and the remoteness of the area led to many farms being broken up, neglected, or entirely abandoned. Finca Las N iev e s , founded in 1880, was one such farm—until 2006, when a group of producers established a new cooperative on the land. Over the las t eighteen years, the farm has slowly been revitalised , adopting organic farming practices and an equitable pay structure for all cooperative members and employees. Finca Las N iev e s is completely off the grid, with all its energy coming from solar, hydroelectric, and biodiesel sources. A varietyVariety (cultivar)The botanical subtype of the coffee plant — Gesha, Bourbon, SL28 — analogous to grape varieties in wine. A major driver of cup character alongside origin and process. garden provides all the diversity one could ask for, including GeishaGesha (Geisha)A rare, jasmine-and-bergamot scented variety originally from Ethiopia's Gesha forest, made famous by Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda. Routinely the most expensive coffee at auction., TypicaTypicaThe oldest cultivated arabica lineage, ancestor of most Latin American coffee. Low yield, clean and sweet cup; the baseline other varieties are measured against., Pacamara , SL28SL28A Kenyan variety selected in the 1930s by Scott Agricultural Laboratories, prized for intense blackcurrant acidity and deep sweetness., and many more. This naturally processed Geisha scored an incredible 91+ points in the 2023 and 2024 Mexico Cup of ExcellenceCup of Excellence (COE)A national competition and auction that identifies a country's best lots each year; winning 'COE' lots command dramatic price premiums. competitions, securing a Presidential Award along with first-place honours in both years. This is our second year purchasing this stunning coffee through the COE auction, and we couldn’t be happier to see it return.