Gundikhan Natural – Vibrant

About This Coffee

Varietal:	Chandragiri (Sarchimore)
Processing:	Natural
Country:	India
Region:	Gundikhan Estate, Baba Budangiri Hills, Karnataka
Altitude:	4200-4500 ft
Farmer:	Saif Ulla
Weight:	250g

Gundikhan produces some of the finest Arabicas we have come across, and I believe a part of that quality comes from what surrounds the coffee. The estate is blessed by nature; a remarkably diverse native ecosystem that feels very different from many of the coffee farms in the region, where native vegetation has largely disappeared and silver oaks remain primarily as shade trees.

We have been visiting coffee farms in this region since 2014, but have rarely come across an estate with such a density of old native trees, undergrowth and other flora and fauna. Gundikhan almost feels like a forest that happens to grow coffee. There is something naturally magical about coffee grown in such harmony with its ecosystem.

But that natural advantage is only the beginning.

The cherries are picked ripe, then carefully sorted by flotation and hand-garbled. They are laid out on raised beds, where good aeration and uniform drying are critical. Most importantly, the coffee is dried within an 18–24 day window.

And the difference is in the cup.

The gentle fermentation during drying complements a bean that was already blessed by nature. It adds a little sweetness, lets some ripe fruit shine through, but doesn’t bury the actual character of the coffee underneath a wall of fermentation.

You taste the coffee first, and the natural process second.

That, to me, is what a good natural should be.

About the Origin

Gundikhan Estate is located in Baba Budan Giri region of Chikmagalur district and shares its boundary with Bhadra Tiger Reserve. Young Saif Ulla, who curates this estate is a master of management degree holder from Leeds Beckett University. Though he was working with Tesco in Leeds but his heart was always back home with coffee plantations. In 2015 he decided to moved back and take care of Gundikhan Estate.

He totally transformed the farm beginning with removing old plants and planting new one with focus on Chandragiri varietal, a development by coffee board of India on Sarchimore, a cross between Villa Sarchi (a bourbon mutation) and Timor varieties. His commitment to modern and environment friendly practises focused on cup flavour with a sustainable yield has transformed the Gundikhan Estate. Today this estate takes pride in growing some of the finest coffees in India.

Gundikhan Estate is blessed with mineral rich soil with high iron content and the microclimate assisted by neighbouring Bhadra Tiger Reserve has been a boon. Saif ensures that all his practices are sustainable and are in sync with the nature around. Other than coffee you can find groves of 11 different tropical fruits and spices in this estate and that further enriches the ecosystem. Meticulous  picking, controlled fermentation and washing/ processing practises with constantly monitored raised bed drying ensures that these coffees shine above other coffees of the region.