Mexico Oaxaca • San Isidro Zoquiapam

Town: San Isidro Zoquiapam

Sub-region: Mazatec

Region: La Cañada

State: Oaxaca

Producing Group: 90 small holders of the Red 5 de Diciembre Group

Elevation: 1,650 - 1,750 MASL

Drying Method: Fermented for 18-24 hours in the cherry, fully washed, then dried on cement patios for 5-9 days.

Description: The Red 5 de Diciembre network is the largest organization of producers in the La Cañada, and itself made up by 13 first-level organizations to represent 1,300 small indigenous producers. They formed as an independant group on the 5th of December, 2014, after La Roya devestated crops in region and chased away international buyers. Over the past six years this group has been working to improve selective harvesting, specialty processing, and marketing of these higher value lots. They’ve succeeded in growing membership and obtaining organic certification, but it was not until 2020 that they were able to achieve and significant premiums for exporting specialty. This was the year they partnered with the cupping team at Ensembles de Café, who worked with this group to separate out their very best and set the model for years to come.

Front label art: David McGuffie