La Ardilla

The Santiago Atitlan region is a roughly 4.5 hour drive from Oaxaca.  This region is notable for its dense forests and rainy season.  The coffees we have purchased from Santiago Atitlan have been some of our favorites in the past and this Gesha is no exception.

Leoncio Mateo is the owner of La Ardilla which is named after the squirrels that heavily populate the area. His farm is very well organized with specific placement between each coffee tree and seedlings in addition to having different native trees separating rows of different coffees.  Leoncio produces multiple varieties on his farm and also has his own washing station where he ferments his coffees in wooden tanks for 12-20 hours before drying them on raised beds for 8-10 days. This allows him to control his coffees from beginning to end.

The Gesha brings together all of the comfort and depth of sweetness we love from Mexican coffees with the nuance and florality we admire in the Gesha variety.  When the coffee is hot it the acidity is subtle like a mandarin orange with a broad vanilla sweetness.  As it cools the aftertaste turns to a light chamomile tea with some lime zest to finish.