Cupping Notes: Rich, balanced cup with notes of dried fruits, nectarine and a sweet finish with medium body and bright acidity.

100% ORGANIC

Country: New Guinea

Region: Goroka, Eastern Highlands

Altitude: 1500 - 2100

Processing Method: Washed

About:

Goroka, the closest urban center to Bena Coffee Farm, one of the main highland towns on the westbound Highlands Highway—the rugged, and only, official route connecting the East coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG) and its industrial port of Lae with the island’s central rainforests. Goroka is a small trading city erected in an oval around its central airstrip. It is also the industrial center to a significant portion of the country’s coffee consolidation and upstream purchasing.

Coffee production in Papua New Guinea did not start until the middle of the 20th century, rather late compared to other countries, but fitting considering there are still uncontacted peoples and tribes across the chain of islands. The production itself can be traced back to the importation and planting of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee seeds in the 1920s, which has created some nice varieties in later plant generations across the islands.  Papa New Guinea is home to many smaller scale producers and exports coffees that are usually well-balanced and fruity.

While similar to the neighboring Indonesia origins, Papa New Guinea (PNG) has some uniqueness to its flavor and cup characteristics. It is less earthy than a Sumatra, with a standout wineyness. Some PNG’s can be somewhat unpredictable in their flavor which is largely due to the coffee “gardens” of the country, where farmers individually grow the coffee on their lands with different inputs and means, and afterwards blend it with other farms for export. However, this coffee is less unpredictable and has a Premium Smallholder Coffee grade (PSC) which represents a superior quality and uniformity compared to much of the coffee produced in the country. While many people either love or hate PNG’s, we think this specific coffee will be sure to impress.