Origin - Mexico

Region - San Pedro El Alto, Sierra Sur, Oaxaca

Process - Washed

Producer - Salomon Garcia, Union San Pedro smallholders

Altitude - 1450-1900m

Variety - Pluma Hidalgo, Mundo Novo, Caturra, Bourbon

Tasting notes - Chocolate, mandarin, caramel

Union San Pedro is an association of eight smaller sub-associations that represent eight communities located around the town of San Pedro El Alto in Oaxaca’s Sierra Sur mountain range. The Sierra Sur lies to the south of Oaxaca city, toward the Pacific Ocean and the southern slopes roll down towards the west coast of the state.

The average farmer in San Pedro has between 1-4 hectares of land and generally a very small production of coffee like most producers in Oaxaca. This lot comprises coffees from seven producers from three of the sub associations; Los Naranjos, Tierra Blanca and Malvavisco. Coffees are pulped, usually with a hand pulper and fermented in wooden tanks.

The coffee is predominantly a mix of two varieties that are very typical to the Sierra Sur - Mundo Novo and Pluma Hidalgo. Pluma Hidalgo is a variant of the Typica variety and was developed in the Sierra Sur, in the town of Pluma Hidalgo just a few miles from San Pedro.

Salomon Garcia - the Union’s co-ordinator - has helped instigate a concerted program of reforestation and diversification. This has taken the form of ‘bosques comestibles’ or edible forests comprising alternative food crops such as vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom and cacao. As well as improving the health of the land and soil, these crops provide important further revenue streams and capital for Union San Pedro, and help slow the outward migration of young people from the region.