Origin: Mexico (Single Origin)

Region: Oaxaca

Producers: Smallholder Farmers

Varieties: Typica, Catimor, Bourbon

Process: Sugarcane EA Decaf

Body: Moderate–Heavy

Acidity: Moderate

Cup Profile: Milk Chocolate, Dried Fruit, Caramel

About the Farm

This coffee comes from smallholder farmers throughout Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s most diverse coffee-growing regions. Coffee is cultivated across a range of elevations and microclimates, where mountainous terrain and varied growing conditions contribute to the character and diversity of the region’s coffees.

Coffee production in Oaxaca is largely driven by smallholder farmers, many of whom cultivate coffee on relatively small plots of land. The region’s varied elevations, climates, and traditional farming practices produce coffees with a broad range of profiles. This lot brings together coffees from multiple producers, creating a balanced and approachable representation of Oaxacan coffee.

About the Bean

This coffee is naturally decaffeinated using ethyl acetate derived from fermented sugarcane. Ethyl acetate, or EA, is a naturally occurring compound that can be produced through the fermentation of sugarcane and is used to selectively remove caffeine while preserving much of the coffee’s original flavor and character.

During decaffeination, the dried coffee is exposed to the sugarcane-derived EA, which binds with and removes caffeine from the beans. Once the decaffeination process is complete, the coffee is dried again to the appropriate moisture level before being stabilized and stored for export.

The result is a smooth and savory coffee with a moderate-to-heavy body and balanced acidity. Forward notes of milk chocolate create a rich, familiar foundation, layered with undertones of dried fruit and caramel. Its rounded body and approachable sweetness make Esmeralda Sugarcane a satisfying coffee that maintains plenty of character without the caffeine.