Source: AzaharSources
Gabriel Aureliano is a coffee producer from the state of Oaxaca, in the municipality of Santa Maria Yucuhiti, within the township of San Isidro Paz y Progreso. Alongside Leodegario Santiago, he forms part of Yuku Kafe, an indigenous community of Mixteca origin located on the rainy side of the sierra Norte, the tallest mountain range in Oaxaca. Their coffee reflects the cultural and ecological richness of this region, where agricultural traditions remain deeply rooted and coffee is widely grown under the shade of native trees that sustain a symbiotic relationship with local flora and fauna. Gabriel’s Farm, named Encino Colorado, spans two hectares, one of which is cultivated with coffee while the other is left untouched to allow endemic species to flourish . Perched at 1,800 meters above sea level, the farm offers expansive views over the Oaxacan highlands, reinforcing the quiet strength and natural beauty that characterize the region.
This coffee consists entirely of the Typica variety. It is processed using the washed method, with a traditional fermentation lasting between 24 and 48 hours, followed by drying on petates over the course of five days. Delivered in parchment, the coffee comes from a specific plot within the farm named El Encino, Located at 1,650 meters. The care taken at each stage production, from cultivation to fermentation and drying, results in a bright and complex profile that speaks to the biodiversity of the Mixteca and knowledge passed doen through generations.
