Vivid Coffee- GESHA - Eber Olivera Baltazra, Mexico 8oz

Tasting Notes: Yuzu, Lilac, Honey

Variety: Gesha

Elevation: 1600 MASL

Region: Talea de Castro, Sierra Norte Oaxaca

Process: Washed

We met with Eber during our visit to Oaxaca in 2023. At the time, all of Eber’s coffee was not being exported because Eber was getting a very good price from roasters in Oaxaca City. While we were bummed we couldn’t purchase Eber’s excellent coffee. It was exciting to see some of Mexico’s best coffee find a home in the local market! In 2024 we were able to purchase a small amount of Eber’s washed gesha - 2 × 69KG bags to be exact. This is the first time Eber’s coffee is available outside of Mexico!

Oaxaca is one of México’s fifteen coffee-producing states. From Oaxaca’s eight coffee-producing regions, Azahar has started relationships with producers in three, called La Mixteca, Sierra Sur, and Sierra Norte.

Villa Talea de Castro belongs to the administrative district of Villa Alta, in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca. Lo- cated four hours away from the state capital, this is one of the most biodiverse areas due to its geograph- ical and climatic conditions. Coffee is a significant agricultural product in the area. The trees benefit from the region's rainfall, which lasts for about 8 months, totaling over 1500 mm per year, and temperatures not exceeding 26°C.

This Single Farm lot from Talea de Castro was crafted by Eber Olivera Baltazra. A native of the area who has become a leader throughout the community, supporting neighboring producers and helping bring their coffees to market in Oaxaca City. While most of Eber’s award-winning coffee stays within Mexico, where he’s created a name and following for his coffee, this is a part of a small separation that has made its way to the United States for the first time.

This 100% Gesha variety is grown on his small plot of land where he practices agroecological techniques. The cherries are selected ripe, first fermented in the fruit for 24 hours, before being pulped and fer- mented in tanks for an additional 36 hours. The coffee is dried on raised beds for 10-15 days before the parchment is trucked to the dry mill in Oaxaca City.