Java Jampit Estate - 500g

It was the Dutch who introduced coffee to Indonesia and written records show that in 1696 the Dutch governor of Malabar in India sent an arabica seedling to the governor of Batavia - now Jakarta.

The Jampit Estate is located in the eastern highlands of Java and is one of six large coffee farms owned by the Indonesian government. Jampit and its neighbours sit in the Ijen plateau, a vast valley within the shadows of the active Kawah Ijen volcano, from which sulphur smoke clouds are constantly emitted. The volcano provides more than just a dramatic backdrop to the farms, as centuries of activity have enriched the land with abundant minerals that ultimately enhance the coffee with such richness and depth of flavour.

The coffee is a mixture of Java typica and some catimore derived cultivars. It is hand-picked by the local community, many of whom live in villages situated within the farm itself. The freshly picked cherry is washed and fermented in a spotlessly clean wet mill situated on the farm before being sun-dried and stored for conditioning. After dry milling the beans are hand sorted by an army of women who meticulously remove broken beans and defects. Such activity results in an incredibly consistent and reliable coffee with great character.

The farm is Utz Certified thus ensuring environmentally responsible agricultural practices and social conditions of an extremely high standard. The housing on the farm is excellent with many of the homes provided with vegetable plots and an area to keep the family goat. The estate has a well-run school and sporting facilities that include two swimming pools and several tennis courts, and when the drying patios are not covered in coffee they become netball courts and football pitches. There are eight mosques on the farm and at least a dozen pagoda-topped prayer rooms dotted around for the convenience of the faithful.

This is a definite favourite of ours & we're delighted with this new lot. Classically full bodied with a soft acidity that you'd expect from a top grade Indonesian coffee. It's very smooth and silky, with a figgy jam character with vanilla finish. Superb.

Price shown per 500g