ESPRESSO OF THE MONTH: HAYB - Mexico El Buho Washed Espresso 1 kg

Whole-bean specialty coffee from Mexico roasted at HAYB. Dark roast, perfect for espresso machines and moka pots.  In the cup, you can expect cocoa beans, caramel and tangerine.

Origin: Mexico

Region: Chiapas

Variety: Caturra, Bourbon

Processing: Washed

Altitude: 1500-2000 m a.s.l.

Cupping score: 84,5 / 100

CHIAPAS IN A CUP

If it weren’t for Andreas Kussmaul, this coffee wouldn’t exist for me. I would never have made it to the Chiapas region in Mexico, and certainly not to Los Altos – the northeastern highlands of Chiapas, located about two hours from the state capital, San Cristóbal de las Casas.

Andreas was my guide back then, and today he’s one of the funniest friends I have. Even though he now lives far away in the state of Veracruz, we still talk often. Coffee regions in this country are places where you need a pass – or at least a Mexican passport – to truly feel safe. During the long hours on the road, Andreas told me about the challenges local farmers face and about the NKG BLOOM program.

In short, it’s an initiative supporting coffee producers around the world. Its goal is to help farmers develop their farms by providing access to financing, knowledge, modern technologies, and markets. This enables them to work more efficiently, increase their income, and lift themselves out of poverty. Traveling from farm to farm and visiting coffee warehouses, you could truly feel the financial and technological support behind the program.

The state of Chiapas, where this coffee comes from, borders Veracruz and Oaxaca to the west, Tabasco to the north, and Guatemala to the east. It’s the same region, and the farms there are often just 20–30 kilometers apart. Yet traveling between them can take two to three hours due to road conditions. Despite such short distances, the flavor of the same botanical variety differs greatly from farm to farm. Microclimate and soil play a huge role.

ABOUT THE COFFEE

Our El Búho is a blend of Bourbon and Caturra varieties. It is a washed coffee.

In the cup, you’ll find plenty of sweetness, reminiscent of milk chocolate and caramel. There is minimal yet noticeable fruitiness, bringing to mind mandarins or sweet oranges. As an espresso, it leans toward the sweeter side, lingering pleasantly on the palate. In milk-based drinks, it develops notes of toffee with a smooth texture.

Mexico is an underrated coffee producer. Its complex history and current political situation do not make coffee imports easy – only 2% of the world’s available Arabica comes from this country. That makes us even more excited to shine a light on this origin and the coffees of the Chiapas region.

COFFEE OF THE MONTH

Each month, we select special beans for you and designate them as our Coffee of the Month, available either as an espresso profile or roasted for filter brewing methods.

By choosing Coffee of the Month, we work directly with roasteries to bring you the highest quality beans, interesting flavor profiles, fresh roasts, and exceptional value. Every coffee is carefully tested using different brewing methods, and we collaborate closely to describe it in as much detail as possible, providing recommended recipes and the full story behind the beans.

Our goal is to introduce you to specialty-grade coffee and help you discover the diverse natural flavors coffee can offer. And maybe, just maybe, make high-quality coffee a permanent guest in your home.