Dark Chocolate | Smoke | Baking Spices
India
Monsoon Malabar
INDIA, MALABAR COAST
Tasting Notes: Dark Chocolate | Smoke | Baking Spices
Process: Monsooned
Region: Malabar Coast, Karnataka & Kerala, India
Altitude: 1,500 - 1,800 m
Varietal: Kents, S.795, Selection 9
Traceability: Wash Station
Harvest Period: June - September
Roast Profile: Medium
THE COFFEE
This lot of Monsoon Malabar captures one of coffee’s most distinctive post-harvest processes. Grown on India’s southwest coast along the Malabar seaboard, the beans are exposed to the seasonal monsoon winds in open-sided warehouses for several weeks. During this time, they swell in size, shed acidity, and develop a rich, mellow character with a deep, velvety body. The result is unmistakable: a cup that favors texture and depth over brightness, earthy, smooth, and entirely its own.
THE REGION - MALABAR COAST
The Malabar Coast and the surrounding Western Ghats form one of the oldest coffee-growing regions in the world. The proximity to the Arabian Sea and the annual rhythm of the monsoon give the beans a distinct environment unlike anywhere else. Grown in fertile, red laterite soils at mid-altitude, Monsoon Malabar reflects both the terroir and the climatic artistry that defines Indian coffee tradition.
THE PROCESS
After drying and sorting, the green beans are spread in open warehouses to absorb the damp monsoon air for 12 - 16 weeks. They are regularly raked and turned, gradually transforming in both appearance and chemistry, from bright green to pale gold, and from sharp acidity to rounded sweetness. This deliberate “monsooning” imparts a singular flavor profile and low acidity. The medium roast is developed to preserve the monsooned body and complexity while maintaining structure and clarity, highlighting the coffee’s full body and layered spice tones.
IN THE CUP
Expect a cup of considerable depth and texture: a core of dark chocolate richness gives way to smoke-tinged wood and tobacco notes, lifted by a gentle thread of baking spice. The cup is balanced, substantial, and clean, with low acidity and a sustained finish. This is a bold yet composed coffee that embodies the craftsmanship and climate of India’s Malabar Coast.