THE FARM: The history of coffee cultivation in India hails back to the 17th century, when Arabica seeds were smuggled out of Yemen and planted in Karnataka. Commercial coffee farming flourished in the mid-19th century, but outbreaks of leaf rust motivated many farms to switch from Arabica to Robusta. Coffee production in India is extremely labor-intensive due to the country’s hilly terrain; an estimated 60% of coffee production costs go to labor. Coffee in India grows in the shade canopy of evergreen leguminous trees on smallholder farms that are mostly less than 10 hectares in size. Producers intercrop coffee with spices, pepper, cardamom, vanilla, orange, and banana trees.

This coffee is from Karnataka. Around 90% of the country’s coffee volume grows in the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, and most Arabica farms are between 700 to 1,200 meters above sea level. Coffee from Karnataka is known for well-rounded and balanced flavor profiles, like this lot sourced in partnership with Allanasons that features sweet notes of milk chocolate, red apple, and cane sugar.

This lot is a Peaberry, which is the result of genetic mutation where only one seed develops inside a coffee cherry instead of two. Peaberries are usually smaller, denser, and rounder than regular coffee beans. Around 1 in 9 coffee cherries result in a peaberry; it takes patience to sort these out from the rest of the beans.

OUR DEEP ROAST has bittersweet notes of cacao with sugar. The cooling cup offers glimpses of nutty tones, hazelnut, chocolate, and a Thai basil accent.

*** All prices are per pound ***