Mexico Bourbon Cristal Washed

If I had to open a shop today with one medium roast, I'd serve this Mexico. If I needed one espresso with enough versatility to please signature-drink fans and coffee nerds alike, I'd use this one too. It's my most popular coffee for a good reason. People want a reliable workhorse of a medium roast to get them through the morning, and they want something just interesting enough to be a comfort pick on days they don't feel adventurous.

It's deeply traditional, like a good coffeehouse medium roast you can make at home without much effort or fancy gear. It works in almost any format. I've made it black, creamed, sugared, in lattes, espresso martinis, cold brew, iced coffee, and frou-frou drinks with ten different syrups. It never disappoints, and I never feel like I'm wasting it by adding to it. This one's okay with being altered.

The familiarity comes from the brown foods I sometimes talk about: caramel, cinnamon, and cocoa. The caramel balances the sweetness and bitterness that all good mediums have. The cinnamon wraps around the taste in a light, pleasant way, less like a Red Hot and more like a light sprinkle. The cocoa adds a slight dryness that gives the cup its traditional feel, slightly chocolatey and really rounded out.