About the coffee
- Cupping notes: Consistent, balanced, spicy, with notes of cedar, sweet tobacco, toasted almonds, raisin, and cocoa nibs
- Cultivation: High grown in volcanic soil in Batak Region of West-Central Sumatra, Aceh
- Altitude: 4,000-4,600 feet
- Tree type: Tim Tim, Catimor, Typica
- Preparation: Giling Basah (wet-hulled), sundried
About the people who grow it
Top photo: Supardi Sinaga on unsplash.comBottom: supplied by royalny.com, by permission, all rights reserved
This Grade 1 and Triple-Picked Sumatran coffee has a typical, yet remarkable profile often associated with Mandheling coffees. It comes from the Arisarina cooperative in the Gayo region, an organization of farmers committed to improving coffee quality and preserving their unique ecosystem.
Sumatra is the second-largest island of the Republic of Indonesia. Mandheling coffee is typically grown in the mountains on west-central and northern parts of the island of Sumatra, including Aceh province.
The Giling Basah (“wet-hull”) method was developed in Indonesia, and involves first removing the outer skin before further processing of the bean. It results in a full-bodied coffee, darker green in appearance, and lower acidity. Sumatra coffee is renowned for its earthy and herbal nuances and spicy finish. The coffee has a low acidity and a richness that lingers on the back corners of your tongue. Notes of chocolate are evident in the finish.
Coffee trees were originally brought to Indonesia in the early 19th century by the Dutch who sought to break the world-wide Arabic monopoly on the cultivation of coffee. Within a few years, Indonesian coffee dominated the world’s coffee market. Yet by the end of the century, disease completely destroyed the crop. Coffee trees were successfully replanted and quickly gained a large share of the world market until the plantations were ravaged again during World War II.
Sumatra is the second-largest island of the Republic of Indonesia. Mandheling coffee is typically grown in the mountains on west-central and northern parts of the island of Sumatra, including Aceh province.
The Giling Basah (“wet-hull”) method was developed in Indonesia, and involves first removing the outer skin before further processing of the bean. It results in a full-bodied coffee, darker green in appearance, and lower acidity. Sumatra coffee is renowned for its earthy and herbal nuances and spicy finish. The coffee has a low acidity and a richness that lingers on the back corners of your tongue. Notes of chocolate are evident in the finish.
Coffee trees were originally brought to Indonesia in the early 19th century by the Dutch who sought to break the world-wide Arabic monopoly on the cultivation of coffee. Within a few years, Indonesian coffee dominated the world’s coffee market. Yet by the end of the century, disease completely destroyed the crop. Coffee trees were successfully replanted and quickly gained a large share of the world market until the plantations were ravaged again during World War II.