SUMATRA - MANDHELING - CAFE GRAIN

Mandheling is a coffee from Sumatra, grown in the far west of the archipelago.

The cup is incomparably rich and has a long finish, with a slight hint of chocolate.

Personal opinion: Mandheling is as exceptional in the East as Palomar from Peru can be in the West.

• Coffee intensity Robust
• Coffee bitterness 3/5
• Coffee acidity 2/5
• Coffee body 4/5
• Coffee aroma 4/5
• Coffee origin Asia
• Roasting country France
• Country of production Indonesia
• Form Whole bean

What makes Sumatra Mandheling coffee special:

Indonesia is also one of the world's largest coffee exporters, producing close to 300,000 tons per year. More than a quarter of its production is Arabica. Sumatra's main advantage is its rich biodiversity, as well as its cosmopolitan population. The combination of these two factors makes its coffees highly aromatic and especially varied, depending on the fincas where they grow.

Coffee grows at an average altitude of around 1,700 meters. These fields also benefit from substantial humidity throughout the year.

The name “Mandheling” comes from the name of the people who grow it, the “Mandailing,” who live in northern Sumatra.

Coffee varieties in Sumatra:

Coffee cultivation on these islands began in the late 17th century, during Dutch colonial rule. The pioneers of this new agriculture were the residents of Batavia, a major export center for the Dutch. Sumatra produces some of the best Arabica in the world. Sumatra Mandheling was even the first coffee called a “specialty” coffee, grown at an altitude of around 1,800 meters. Residents harvest the red cherries that contain the beans for 5 to 6 months of the year.

How Sumatra Grand Cru Mandheling is prepared:

Grown in the Gayo region, this coffee undergoes a very specific preparation process that differs from that of other coffees, for good reason.

Once depulped, the coffee beans are not washed using the traditional method. Instead, the process is completed with sand, rather than the well-known fermentation used after wet processing. This makes it a unique coffee! Once this step is complete, it is laid out in the sun for a few days to finish drying.

It is then shipped to France by sea, where it once again takes on elements from its surroundings aboard the ship. Just as it absorbs the biodiversity around it while growing, the green coffee bean continues to absorb the aromas it encounters in transit. For example, if placed next to oranges, it can take on their flavor. Some coffees are even described as having animal notes because they may have been transported next to camels or other animals.

It is then artisanally roasted in France, following a precise roasting time.

L’Originel's roasting method:

There are several methods for roasting green coffee beans on the market. The most common is the industrial “Flash” method. This involves carbonizing coffee beans in tubes blasted with waves of several thousand degrees for a few seconds. As you might imagine, this destroys the coffee's aromas. L’Originel follows the French tradition of artisan, age-old roasting. A very specific roasting process is applied to the small green beans according to their country of origin, production finca, size, and quality, as assessed by the artisan roaster. Roasting is therefore slow, taking around 20 minutes at approximately 230°; the precise time and temperature depend on the coffee.