India Kerehaklu Robusta Washed

We are honoured to be launching several remarkable coffees from Kerehaklu, a stunningly biodiverse coffee plantation in the Western Ghats region of India owned by the Thipaiah family. This anoxic washed lot is delighting us with bright, warming notes of pecan, custard apple, and raisin. Our colleague Will was in India this year just as the arabica harvest was coming to an end, the first time he was able to cup coffees that we would receive later on. There's nothing like the sparkle of fresh crop coffee cupped at origin, and these coffees have held up nicely since then: They're tasting bright, sweet and delicious, and we've purchased more lots from Kerehaklu than ever before – including an anoxic natural and two Robustas (a first for us!). Kerehaklu is spread across 250 acres and has been chemical-free since 2016. The biodiversity there is incredible, with macaques, parrots, snakes, deer, civets, and boars regularly roaming, and even some occasional tigers. It has been run by the Thipaiah family for five generations. Today, Ajoy mainly looks after the growing and agronomy side while Pranoy manages processing. They primarily grow arabica coffee, but also two other species, canephora and liberica. Some plants on the estate are more than 100 years old, so the land and plant matter are well adapted to one another. Most of the varietals are Indian cultivars called 'Selection' — these are hybridised from other varieties to grow well in their environment. The Thipaiahs keep a plant nursery where they look after young plants from seed, including various 'Selection' arabicas, Obata, and SL28. They also have lots of avocados and pepper vines, both of which they produce to a very high standard and sell. The estate is home to many beautiful cluster fig trees (some estimated to be 400 years old) that grow around other trees slowly and eventually engulf them. The cluster figs aren't particularly tasty to humans, but they are much beloved by the many birds that live there, and the birds' guano is an excellent fertiliser for the coffee. These fig trees are the secondary canopy, with the highest canopy coming primarily from citrus trees. The ample shade means the coffee can grow and mature slowly. As a result, the output on an estate like this is much, much lower than more intensive "monocrop" coffee farms, but if you take a wider look at the total sum of outputs from all the crops, they are incredibly productive. This lot is an anoxic washed, meaning the coffee underwent a stage of fermentation in an oxygen-reduced environment prior to drying. Pranoy generally prefers the use of local yeasts that are the result of the natural microbiome rather than commercial yeasts (although he has experimented with both). One way that he kick-starts fermentation in anoxic coffees is by adding liquid from another active fermentation. This process is often referred to as Mossto or Mosto, a term taken from the wine industry that literally translates to 'grape juice'. At Kerehaklu, Pranoy has been experimenting with this technique since 2023, although it is only now becoming more common. Elevation: 1200 Meters above Sea LevelVarietal: Selection 5bCup score: 86Price paid per kg: £11.95Process: Anoxic washed

The specialty coffee industry may be focused on Arabica, but we want to demonstrate that other coffee species are worth a try, too. Growing a variety of species is increasingly crucial for farmers adapting to changing climate, and each brings its own flavour profile and ecological strengths. This is our very first Robusta coffee, and our good friend Pranoy Thipaiah of Kerehaklu used his expert processing skills to bring it to life. The beans themselves are a slightly different shape, very cute and round, and the profile of Robusta is fundamentally different, tasting much like classic nutty diner coffee. However, this one will be much more clean and interesting: It is naturally processed for a creamy and complex cup with notes of fig, cashew, and flapjack. We've chosen not to give this coffee a cup score, as the scoring system is designed for Arabica – but we feel confident that your preconceptions about Robusta will be challenged with this coffee! Note that Robusta also benefits from longer resting after roast and cooler brewing water for more sweetness (try temperatures in the low 80s Celcius). Kerehaklu is a stunning and biodiverse coffee plantation in the Southern Ghats region of Karnataka in South India, run by father and son team Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah. (Our colleague Will has visited twice, and wrote about the wildlife and the agronomy here.) Pranoy strongly prefers washed process coffees (though Kerehaklu also produces some great naturals) and has been finessing his techniques with every harvest. Kerehaklu is spread across 250 acres and has been chemical-free since 2016. The biodiversity there is incredible, with macaques, parrots, snakes, deer, civets, and boars regularly roaming, and even some occasional tigers. It has been run by the Thipaiah family for five generations. Today, Ajoy mainly looks after the growing and agronomy side, while Pranoy manages processing. They primarily grow arabica coffee, but also two other species, canephora (Robusta) and liberica. Some plants on the estate are more than 100 years old, so the land and plant matter are well adapted to one another. Most of the varietals are Indian cultivars called 'Selection' — these are hybridised from other varieties to grow well in their environment. The Thipaiahs keep a plant nursery where they look after young plants from seed, including various 'Selection' arabicas, Obata, and SL28. They also have lots of avocados and pepper vines, both of which they produce to a very high standard and sell. The estate is home to many beautiful cluster fig trees (some estimated to be 400 years old) that grow around other trees slowly and eventually engulf them. The cluster figs aren't particularly tasty to humans, but they are much beloved by the many birds that live there, and the birds' guano is an excellent fertiliser for the coffee. These fig trees are the secondary canopy, with the highest canopy coming primarily from citrus trees. The ample shade means the coffee can grow and mature slowly. As a result, the output on an estate like this is much, much lower than more intensive "monocrop" coffee farms, but if you take a wider look at the total sum of outputs from all the crops, they are incredibly productive. Elevation: 1200 Meters above Sea LevelVarietal: RobustaCup score: n/aPrice paid per kg: £9.50Process: Natural

We are honoured to be launching several remarkable coffees from Kerehaklu, a stunningly biodiverse coffee plantation in the Western Ghats region of India owned by the Thipaiah family. This lot is naturally processed and has a beautiful balance of sweetness and acidity in the cup with juicy notes of pear, fig, and cardamom. Our colleague Will was in India this year just as the arabica harvest was coming to an end, the first time he was able to cup coffees that we would receive later on. There's nothing like the sparkle of fresh crop coffee cupped at origin, and these coffees have held up nicely since then: They're tasting bright, sweet and delicious, and we've purchased more lots from Kerehaklu than ever before – including an anoxic washed and two Robustas (a first for us!). Kerehaklu is spread across 250 acres and has been chemical-free since 2016. The biodiversity there is incredible, with macaques, parrots, snakes, deer, civets, and boars regularly roaming, and even some occasional tigers. It has been run by the Thipaiah family for five generations. Today, Ajoy mainly looks after the growing and agronomy side and while Pranoy manages processing. They primarily grow arabica coffee, but also two other species, canephora and liberica. Some plants on the estate are more than 100 years old, so the land and plant matter are well adapted to one another. Most of the varietals are Indian cultivars called 'Selection' — these are hybridised from other varieties to grow well in their environment. The Thipaiahs keep a plant nursery where they look after young plants from seed, including various 'Selection' arabicas, Obata, and SL28. They also have lots of avocados and pepper vines, both of which they produce to a very high standard and sell. The estate is home to many beautiful cluster fig trees (some estimated to be 400 years old) that grow around other trees slowly and eventually engulf them. The cluster figs aren't particularly tasty to humans, but they are much beloved by the many birds that live there, and the birds' guano is an excellent fertiliser for the coffee. These fig trees are the secondary canopy, with the highest canopy coming primarily from citrus trees. The ample shade means the coffee can grow and mature slowly. As a result, the output on an estate like this is much, much lower than more intensive "monocrop" coffee farms, but if you take a wider look at the total sum of outputs from all the crops, they are incredibly productive. This coffee is a real investment in the environment — a seasonal delight! This lot is an anoxic natural, meaning the coffee underwent a stage of fermentation in an oxygen-reduced environment prior to drying. Pranoy generally prefers the use of local yeasts that are the result of the natural microbiome rather than commercial yeasts (although he has experimented with both). One way that he kick-starts fermentation in anoxic coffees is by adding liquid from another active fermentation. This process is often referred to as Mossto or Mosto, a term taken from the wine industry that literally translates to 'grape juice'. At Kerehaklu, Pranoy has been experimenting with this technique since 2023, although it is only now becoming more common. Elevation: 1200 meters above sea levelVarietal: Selection 5bCup score: 87Price paid per kg: £13.25Process: Anoxic Natural

This is the first time we've featured a Gesha from Roble Negro, the inspiring conservationist producer in Costa Rica that we love supporting. Their chocolately Catuai lot that we usually offer is warm and comforting, but this new Gesha brings a fresh, bright acidity balanced with grounded sweetness. Notes of caramel, orange, and apricot swirl together to create a citrusy cup with mellow sugary undertones. Roble Negro is owned by Jorge Vasquez and his niece and nephew Dani and Alex. To them, coffee trees help support their core focus of conserving the rainforest, not the other way around. You can read about this incredible project in our colleague Will's dispatch. Roble Negro coffee is processed at Jorge Vasquéz’s micromill. The mill and his coffee farm, Finca Cedral Alto, are located in the town of Aserrí in Costa Rica’s Tarrazú region, about 45 minutes outside the capital of San José. The name Roble Negro means “black oak” and Cedral Alto means “high cedar grove”. These names indicate the importance of environmental preservation to Jorge and his coffee production team. The farm is filled with natural springs and freshwater sources, which the forested areas protect and keep clean, and which is situated at the transition between the Pacific side of the country and the Central Valley region, spanning 1750 to 2000 meters above sea level. Jorge grew up playing football with his cousins on the farms around Aserrí where their parents worked picking coffee. He graduated from college with a degree in accounting and worked for Costa Rica’s Banco Nacional for 21 years, serving as branch manager for his last 11 years there. Jorge now owns a recycling company, Compañía de Reciclaje Ecológico, which he founded in response to the country’s pollution levels. The recycling company is an extension of his belief in taking care of the natural world around him. Compañía de Reciclaje Ecológico has 14 employees, creates another 20 indirect jobs, and annually processes 2,000 tonnes of materials like cardboard, paper, wood, plastics, metals, and more. Jorge bought Finca El Cedral in 2007 from Don Fernando Monge. One of Jorge’s first concerns for El Cedral Alto was to protect the six water sources on the property. The waterways form the beginning of the Rio Jorco River and serve as drinking water aquifers for the nearby towns of Cedral Abajo, Vuelta de Jorco, and Acosta, as well as acting as irrigation sources for surrounding farms. The farm is dotted with stunning waterfalls thanks to these water sources — a reminder of the importance and power of fresh water to people, flora, fauna, and agriculture. Cedral Alto also contains fruit trees planted between the coffee plants (including orange, peach, sweet lemon, plantain, soursop, and avocado) which provide for both people and animals. The farm cultivates Red and Yellow Catuai and has a nursery of Criollo seedlings collected from trees that survived from more than 50 years ago when that was the primary cultivated variety. New seedlings are planted at the beginning of the rainy season and require extensive care for about a year as their root systems form and they develop foliage for the transition from the nursery to the open field. In line with Jorge’s commitment to sustainability, Roble Negro removes all weeds by hand and is completely chemical-free. Instead, they use microorganisms harvested from the humus layer of the forest floor to create non-toxic applications to control insects and natural diseases like leaf rust and to facilitate nutrient absorption. Jorge’s Roble Negro micromill is known for its high-quality standards and thoughtful sustainability practices. Operations at the mill aim to reduce the use of non-renewable resources like water and electricity, repurpose waste products into natural fertilizers, and even ensure that the GrainPro used for packing and shipping coffee is reused or recycled by the mill’s global partners. Elevation: 1874 MASLVarietal: GeshaCup score: 87Price paid per kg: £11.20Process: Washed