Mexican Coffee

Mexican coffee comes almost entirely from the south — Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz — grown under shade on smallholdings at altitudes from around 900 up to 1,700 metres, with heritage Typica and Bourbon still widely planted alongside Caturra and Mundo Novo. The cup is gentle and sweet: milk chocolate, caramel and toasted nuts, carried by a soft citrus or red apple acidity.

Mexico is also one of the world's centres for solvent-free decaffeination, with water-process plants sitting close to the growing regions, so a good deal of specialty decaf begins here. Clean and comforting as a filter, and a rounded, chocolatey base for espresso.