Try Volcanicas Sumatra Mandheling here: [ Ссылка ]
Sumatra refers to a type of coffee grown in Indonesia, specifically in the Sunda islands.
When Sumatra is prepared properly, it is just as intriguing as it is complex. Sumatra isn’t the heaviest bodied coffee out there, but it usually has at least a medium body. Sumatra usually features relatively low acidity that often accompanies darker roasts.
Sumatra Mandheling and Lintong
Two particular Sumatran coffees of note are Sumatra Mandheling and Sumatra Lintong.
Coffee enthusiasts have long held Sumatra Mandheling in high regard as a top coffee from Sumatra. Mandheling is primarily grown in Diari, a region near Lake Toba and tends to have a herbal aroma with notes of licorice and chocolate.
Lintong is also grown in the area of Lake Toba, but additionally in the Lintongnihuta district and in the Kecamatan. Lintong is grown in direct sunlight, without any chemicals. The clay soil Lintong is generally grown in contributes to an earthy flavor profile and woody and herbal notes are also common in Lintong (for example, cedar and sage -like in the Sumatra Lintong we sampled from Peach Roasters!)
Mandheling and Lintong: Often Labeled As “Dry Processed” by Sellers, but its Complicated!
For both of these coffees, the fruit is extracted from a bean using a number of unusual approaches, including a twist on traditional wet processing. Farmers remove the skin from coffee cherry crops immediately after harvesting and then allow the beans to ferment overnight.
For Lintong coffee, the loose fruit pulp gets rinsed off of the beans manually during the day. From there, the coffee with parchment skin gets dried out and, afterwards, the parchment skin is removed.
In contrast, with Mandheling coffee, the fruit pulp dries on beans once removal of skin has commenced (which is the process of partially-washed coffee in Brazil). Most Sumatran coffee is exported out of Medan, the capital city of North Sumatra.
Sumatra: Rich and Low-Toned- But Often Inconsistent
The unusual processing methods of Sumatra result in coffee that varies wildly in quality, but achieves the unique low-toned richness and body characteristic of Sumatra.
Almost all Sumatra enthusiasts love these low-toned characteristics- but have varying individual preferences regarding the specific flavor notes. For instance, earthly Sumatra’s absorb the flavor of clay once they are dried on the ground directly. Musty Sumatra’s absorb a mildew taste, which some coffee enthusiasts are partial to.
However, given the inconsistency in quality, we wanted to sample a number of different Sumatras and assess which we thought were the best. Take a look below to see what we found!
