Region: Lac Duong, Lam Dong
Varietal: Catimor
Process: Anaerobic Natural
Altitude:1,500 MASL
Cupping Notes:Blackberry, Strawberry Jam, Vanilla, Fudge
Recommended Roast: City to Full City
Good For: Pour Over, Auto-Drip, Espresso

Description: This special coffee is produced in Dung K’no Village, 40 kilometers away from DaLat. The farers here are part of one of many ethnic minorities in Vietnam, known as the K’Ho people, a matriarchal community. They were initially a nomadic people, but have now settled in the mountains of the Lam Dong province. They live according to their traditional culture, rituals, and their livelihood strongly depends on coffee farming. This lot is sourced directly at farm gate by our export partner which brings new opportunities for those living in this remote area. Farmers, as is typical in specialty coffee production, are paid a premium for contributing the fully ripe coffee cherries that this lot is made up of. Our partner also supports farmers in improving their farming and harvesting methods by optimizing production costs for better revenue and limiting the environmental impact of coffee production.

Once cherries have been carefully hand-picked and selected, the farmers take them to established cherry collection points where farmers are paid daily, including the premium for ripeness. This process ensures full traceability as every lot can be traced back to the farmer who produced it and the day it was delivered to the collection point. At the end of each day, cherries are transported by truck from Dung K’no to the wet mill, about 90 kilometers away. The mill uses Penagos eco-mills to ensure the least impacts on the environment at this step. The processing for this lot is referred to as “Anaerobic Gem” where the coffee will be fermented for 48 hours in anaerobic conditions and then sun dried for roughly 3 weeks, until they reach ideal moisture content.

This lot was the standout on the arrivals cupping table. It’s fruity and vibrant, without any of the funkiness you sometimes get from anaerobic naturals. We got notes of Blackberry, Strawberry Jam, Vanilla, and Fudge with some hints of tropical fruit.