Oaxaca’s not exactly right around the corner from Upstate New York, but it’s the nearest coffee-producing region you’re likely to see on most coffee menus in the USofA, and we’re psyched to finally showcase it on ours. This one was produced by Irene Sanchez, in the 420-household town of Santiago Sochiltepec, tucked amidst the Sierra Madre mountains that separate Oaxaca’s Central Valley from its Pacific Coast. And though Oaxaca’s best-known elixir may be mezcal, this landscape is also full of spectacular coffee-growing micro-climates. Irene’s neck of the woods — nicknamed “La Pluma” — is even home to a distinct coffee variety related to Typica, called Typica Pluma, giving the region an especially singular and elevated status. 

Like most in the region, Irene farms a small plot with a mixture of coffee varieties, including the local standout of Typica Pluma. This particular selection is a field blend, also featuring Bourbon, Caturra, and Mundo Novo. In the cup, it’s wonderfully balanced, driven by stone fruit juiciness and a sticky-sweet texture. Sipping it fills us with that same sorta warmth you get from coming home after hectic times away. But as they say — with great balance comes great responsibility, so a delightful menu feature is not the only way we’re featuring Irene’s coffee. We also picked this one to be our second-ever canned iced coffee, a format that really lets its juiciness and honeyed iridescence shine.

No matter how you sip it, Irene’s field blend is a stellar debut for Mexican coffees on our menu, and we look forward to more deeply acquainting our nearest coffee-producing partners in the seasons ahead.