Mexico Santa Cruz Ozoloptepec

Santa Cruz de Ozolotepec is the newest addition to Osito's work in the Ozolotepeques, a cluster of remote municipalities tucked into the Sierra Sur of southern Oaxaca. Through Red Beetle Coffee Lab, Osito has been sourcing from Zapotec smallholders across this area for six years, and Santa Cruz represents an expansion of that relationship into new territory.

Coffee plots here sit mostly above or alongside the village, requiring producers to make considerable climbs to reach them before carrying the harvest back down for processing. The climate runs warmer than neighboring municipalities, which shortens fermentation times and speeds up drying, making shade management an important part of the process. Poly-shade netting is used to slow drying and protect quality.

This lot brings together nine farmers, each contributing an average of around 75 kilograms of parchment, across varieties of Marcellesa, Oro Azteca, and Typica grown between 1,400 and 1,700 meters.

Sourced from the Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca, the Mexico Santa Cruz Ozoloptepec represents the unique terroir of this mountainous landscape. Grown at elevations between 1400 and 1700 masl, this coffee reflects the specific environmental conditions of the region, which is increasingly recognized for its distinct profile within the broader Mexican coffee landscape. Coffees from this part of Oaxaca are often noted for their complexity and balance, qualities that Metric Coffee Co. highlights through their careful approach to roasting.

When evaluating the nuances of a coffee like this, it is helpful to consider how regional characteristics influence the final cup. Exploring the flavor wheel can provide a useful framework for identifying the specific sensory attributes that emerge from these high-altitude Mexican lots. By focusing on the intersection of origin and craft, this selection offers a clear window into the current output of the Santa Cruz Ozoloptepec producers.