El Portillo (Mexico)

 Dark Cherry, Twix Bar, Golden Raisin

Origin Mexico
Region Oaxaca
Producer Jose Monjaraz Alonso
Variety Typica, Caturra, Bourbon
Elevation 1,560 masl
Processing Washed

250g

Jose Monjaraz Alonso’s farm, El Portillo, spans 3.5 hectares in the El Portillo community, after which it is named. Reaching El Portillo from the city, where many producers of this area reside, can take 2 hours on foot. During harvest, Jose and his family stay in temporary housing on the farm, and move their coffee by mule or on foot to the city over several trips.

Because the farm is remote and steep, coffee cherries are often left overnight after harvest before they enter processing. This time between picking and depulping is a de facto extended fermentation that adds to the coffee’s complexity. The coffee is then moved from El Portillo to a washing station at Jose’s house, where he ferments it in wood tanks for 48 hours, and allows it to dry for four to five days on patios.

This offering from El Portillo is exceedingly sweet and clean. It features rich notes of caramel, milk chocolate and shortbread, which reminds us of a Twix candy bar. Flavors of dark cherry and golden raisin are also apparent, lending to a complex and refined drinking experience.