Our Chiapas Turquesa, or turquoise, takes its name from the precious blue-green gemstone that was revered by the Aztecs, Toltec and other early Mexican cultures.

This coffee comes from smallholder producers who deliver to the San Cristobal de las Casas and Yajalón buying stations in northern Chiapas, to the east and northeast of Tuxla Gutiérrez the region. The growing area, which runs between altitudes of 900 and 1,100 meters, is characterized by large bean sizes and a round, balanced cup with a smooth body — an ideal morning cup.

For decades, Chiapas has been the center of political and ethnic conflicts. The Zapatista movement prevented any large coffee farms from coming into existence, due to their demands for indigenous rights and land access. Consequently, coffee has been cultivated mainly by smallholders, often descendants of Indigenous tribes, These producers plant, harvest and prepare the coffee by hand, sparing no effort to produce coffees they can feel proud of. Generally, they each produce between 10 and 15 bags.

To help ensure that producers receive a fair price, InterAmerican works closely with the exporters that support these communities with social projects. The exporters also use their own transportation infrastructure to bring the producers’ coffees to market.

The harvest season is December through March. All the coffee is received in parchment, quality controlled, and transported to a high tech dry mill in Veracruz. After a second quality check, the coffee is cleaned, milled and sorted to be prepared for export. This coffee has a quality-control standard that allows for only 15 imperfections per 300 grams.

Cupping notes: Milk chocolate, nutty, citrus; medium body, cools sweet.