DailyShotOfCoffee.com blogger reviews Starbucks Organic Shade Grown Mexico: Recently I was talking to coffee blogger Mike Crimmins who produces DailyShotOfCoffee blog and I asked him if he would like to do one of his famous coffee “reviews” for my site. Mike produces a coffee blog where he features a true variety of coffee blends, and roasters, and he tastes each of the coffees and writes a review on it. Mike is based out of Florida, and so when I read his blog, I often feel like I am taking a trip across the country and being introduced to coffee producers whom I otherwise would have never heard of. There definitely are Starbucks in Florida, including one Clover-designated Starbucks, and so I asked Mike if he would pick out a Starbucks coffee and review it.
Since he picked out Organic Shade Grown Mexico, I wanted to remind my readers that this coffee is produced using both strict C.A.F.E. practices and Shared Planet Standards as well as certified organic. I definitely recommend reading up on the basics of Starbucks Shared Planet. Shade Grown Mexico was developed in the late 1990s as part of the initial cooperation and agreement between Conservation International and Starbucks. It was through this partnership that Starbucks worked to develop formalized ethical sourcing guidelines. Here’s the previous blog post on Shared Planet, which further talks about this amazing coffee:
And now here is Mike Crimmins’ coffee review of this very special Starbucks coffee:
Dear Starbucks, I’m Sorry
Even though it was more than a decade ago, it seems like just yesterday that you came in and setup shop a few blocks away from my college campus. It was love at first sight and I quickly forgot about the lackluster sources of caffeine back on campus.
It didn’t take me long to grow addicted to your calorie loaded drinks like venti Caramel Machiattos and grande Mocha Fraps. However, I hit a rough spot when I discovered why people called you “Charbucks” behind your back. It seemed like even your medium roast coffees were roasted to the point where there was more chafe than whole beans and the only flavor was smoky.
Then you gave me a new coffee to try, Starbucks Organic Shade Grown Mexico. Despite my fears and a name that seemed to be missing an “-ian” at the end, I opened up the bag and decided to open my heart back up to you.
When I opened your bag and saw golden brown beans, I wondered if maybe you had made something just for me.
A few minutes later, I filled my mug with a coffee that had an aroma that made me doubt what was going on. This wasn’t the over-roasted coffee that I had settled for in the past. It had a mild nutty aroma, with hints of fruits and chocolates underneath. There wasn’t a hint of the over-roasted, house fire aroma that I was expecting.
The aroma got my attention, but it was the taste that won me back to you. It was an exceptionally smooth nutty flavor. The aftertaste had a dry feeling that gave it character and made me look forward to the next sip. By now, thoughts of your burnt-to-the-crisp flavor had disappeared.
As an added bonus, you made the coffee shade grown (obviously), and organically grown.
I won’t even complain to you about the price. At 11.95 for 16 ounces, it’s a priced below the average price for many coffees that I’ve purchased that are just 12 or even 10 ounces.
If this was a Daily Shot Of Coffee blog post, I’d give it an above average score of 3.75. It’s by far my favorite Starbucks coffee that I’ve tasted in years and it made me want to go out and try even more of your coffee.
Mike Crimmins is the highly caffeinated blogger behind Daily Shot Of Coffee, an average joe’s guide to finding better coffee. You can also find him on Twitter at @ShotOfCoffee
Melody writing again: Just a quick post-script to this blog post. I actually know that Organic Shade Grown Mexico is one of the very lightest coffee roasts that Starbucks uses. My understanding is that it is in the roasting oven an even shorter amount of time than House Blend! It is amazing to me that people think that Starbucks does all dark roasts, because that plainly is false, and this coffee is a good example of a light roast coffee – I’m not even sure if it is pushed to a “full city” roast profile.
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Mexico Chiapas is worth a look for Mike if he can still find it around. Similar aroma and body experience but a different mix of flavors
Thanks for the heads up on that one greyghostx, I’ll keep an eye out for it.
I like the mexico chiappas and wished a little bit that it was a bit lighter in flavor. Mike describes the Mexico Shade Grown so well…I do believe that its the roast I need to try next
Mmmm now I need to find a starbucks for an iced try 
I really need to check out the Mexico Chiappas very soon. Hopefully, you got your iced coffee.
I am only recently starting to appreciate mild coffees.
That’s fair, because I’m slowly getting into dark roasts.
In the spirit of full disclosure, my favorite year round coffee is Gold Coast, so I’m not usually a fan of the milder coffees. However, I can and do appreciate the flavor characteristics that some of the milder coffees (especially the Latin American varieties) have to offer like pronounced acidity.
Another partner who used to work at my store just got married (on my birthday, but that’s not part of the story), and went to Mexico on his honeymoon. He brought back some coffee that he bought at a Starbucks in Mexico, a generic Mexican Blend (I should have taken a picture of the bag, sorry). He did a French Press of the last little bit he had for the two of us, and it was an amazing experience. That and your post makes me really want to mark out a pound of the Shade Grown Mexico this week to drink at home.
Enjoyed the review!
@Chris, Melody actually already did a blog entry on the Mexico coffee you speak of.
http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2010/01/30/cupping-starbucks-mexico-coffee-and-organic-yirgacheffe-at-15th-avenue-coffee-and-tea/
Mike, nice review of Organic Shade Grown Mexico. I will have to see if my local Starbucks has it. I am a dark roast gal myself but am always open to new experiences.
Ciao,
Ardee-ann
Oh a very light roast, I hope I can find this friday at the NYC clover store when i visit NYC, i keep trying bold coffee but deep down i am not a very bold bean person!
@ardee-ann, @amazonv @nathan -
@Ardee-ann Welcome to my Starbucks blog! Hope you’ll join in the community again.
This coffee is a great option if you don’t want a bold coffee – I’ve heard that the roast profile is similar to Breakfast Blend: One of the very lightest. Another light roast coffee option for you might be Breakfast Blend.
@AmazonV – That’s because you’re a tea person!
I invite my readers to look at your comprehensive tea blog –
http://amazonv.blogspot.com/
@Nathan – Thanks for the follow up with the link to the old Mexico blog post.
@Mike – thanks for the great guest post. I have a question for you: As someone who has not been a fan of Starbucks’ traditional dark roasts, what do you think of Pike Place Roast? Do you like it? Is it distinguishable enough to be a compelling offering to you? Does its everyday availability make you choose Starbucks over other coffee providers?
CD – I haven’t tried the Pike’s Place at home, so I can’t completely comment yet. However, I can tell you that I’ll be trying it again. I tried in a store and I wasn’t a big fan, I’d much rather make it myself because I’m a control freak when it comes to my coffee.
AmazonV – hope you enjoy the clover store, I wish there was one near me.
Thanks Latte Rose
I really enjoyed reading this post. I was wondering what the trick is to get some of this shade grown. I have not seen it in any stores here in ohio. Your review makes me feel like I’m missing out on something big
@Melody tea is my drink, but I love Starbucks so much I want to love coffee! They all smell so luscious I could sniff the beans all day. I just wished i loved all the flavors as much as the smells. Thanks for the plug
@Mike The Pike Place is much better tasting at home for sure. And thanks
I have only been there once before but I thought it was nice even if a 3 hour trip there (and another 3 back!) It is sad there is not one near you 
@Christopher I think you need to find a clover store for these beans?
http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2010/06/20/where-are-all-the-starbucks-clover-stores/
What a great review of one of my favorite coffees! (yes, I’m a Latin American girl. I still lust for Peru)
I love this coffee. I totally understand why he likes it. I’m loving the new Limu Ethopian though.
Sadly there was none of this coffee at the clover store in NYC
@AmazonV – I don’t understand how it could NOT be there? This is a core Starbucks coffee, and I’ve never seen it not available. The packaging has changed alot. In all honesty, I do not like the new packaging nearly as much as the old. The coffee stamp photo in this blog is not what it looks like now – That’s old. I think it’s like a solid green now, as I recall. It’s just a solid color!
@AmazonV – I went back to my local Starbucks and took a close look at the whole bean shelf. The new packaging of the O.S.M. is HORRIBLE. I realize that I would not have a clue what coffee that was without someone telling me. You can look at it, and look right past it – I knew what I was looking for because I knew the packaging had changed. It’s in a solid DARK green bag, with the name of the coffee in really small letters. The packaging is horrible. It doesn’t look like coffee – Nothing about it reminds you of coffee. No coffee stamp images. Name of coffee hard to find. Not even a natural looking coffee color … Remember the brown packaging of Rwanda coffee from a while back (was that summer 2009?) – That was really great packaging. Easy to read what it is. I asked a barista if OSM is selling and gave me a thumbs down.
This is the first Starbucks coffee tasting that I really remember. It was the first one where I really got it. It was my second markout (right after Guatemala Antigua). And then several months later I tasted it again to find it tasted rather different. This lead me to research why, and I discovered terroir. All this motivated me to use it in my coffee master tasting. i still love this coffee.
re the packaging-I believe that that is only for the summer. They wanted the packaging to stand out and be different in order to bring attention to the (RED) , From farmers to farmers and what was the other little saying…anyway, new packing, new attention given. @JRMY I wish I could remember which was the coffee I “got it” on!! Although, this was my first tasting with Komodo when I was just training (I think! lol I’d have to look at my passport)
@Melody Thanks, I probably looked past it as they had a large wall of beans! I will check again next time I am in Starbucks.
Great blog post! I love how I felt like I was reading a short story rather than a review! Thanks for posting this link, Melody! I will definitely try this one out at my office (if it is available at my local location(s)…).
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