WHOLESALE - MEXICO RAFAEL SOLIS

processing: washed  variety: typica, yellow bourbon  elevation: 1,600m

location: Triunfo Verde Biosphere Reserve, Chiapas

tasting notes: cactus fruit, plum, green grape, cacao, and baking spice

Long before Rafael Solis was growing the towering typica and yellow bourbon varieties surrounding his home in the Triunfo Verde Biosphere Reserve, he was a trail guide and steward who led tourists through this protected land. That deep familiarity shows — he moves through his acres like it's in his blood, and every plant, from the lemon trees to the coffee, thrives under a dense canopy of shade.

The coffee cherries here are harvested, washed, and dried by hand with water pumped from the river. The closest road is a three-mile hike, so the coffee goes out by donkey and motorbike. It's a labor of love that requires more physical work than almost any farm we've visited, and the cup reflects it: balanced and structured, with cactus fruit, plum, green grape, cacao, and a warm thread of baking spice.

 strawberry.

Rafael Solis's coffee from Mexico's Triunfo Verde Biosphere Reserve showcases the clean, fruit-forward character typical of washed coffees. The lot combines Typica and Yellow Bourbon varietals—a pairing that often emphasizes clarity and balance. At 1600 masl in Chiapas, the elevation supports the vibrant acidity and nuanced flavor development Four Barrel identifies here: layered stone fruit notes (cactus fruit, plum, green grape) that sit alongside deeper cacao and warming baking spice. The interplay between these brighter and richer tones reflects both the terroir and the producer's careful cultivation in this biodiverse region.