This is triple-picked Organic Sumatra Mandheling, meaning the final sorting is done three times, by hand, to eliminate imperfections. Most farms in the area range from one to four acres in size and are inter-planted with fruits and vegetables, allowing farmers to be more self sufficient in times of volatility. The beans are grown at elevations ranging from 3,200 to 6,000 feet. Most fertilization is done with organic matter because of the high cost of imported fertilizers.
Before making this selection we cupped more than forty Sumatra Mandhelings from a large number of importers. The cupping took 6 days and involved individual roasts of each coffee, as usual. Like always, cupping is done “blind” and we do not know the identities of the coffee until the winner(s) are revealed. Four coffees surfaced to the final round and we purchased all of the top selection and enough of the second selection to fill our needs for several months going forward.
Preparation is semi-fermented. Drying occurs naturally and to some degree without extreme controls, which gives top Sumatra Mandhelings their individuality while retaining their regional character. This coffee is a delicious, viscous, earthy coffee, typifying the best this part of Indonesia has to offer.
Cup Characteristics: Earthy, mouth-filling, supple coffee with pronounced aromatics of tobacco and exotic earth notes. Sturdy, pronounced but not overbearing body.
