Sumatra Harimau Tiger

In the cup: Cocoa with mellow melon flavors and mild acidity.

Process: Wet-Hulled

Variety: Ateng, Bor Bor, Catimor, and Timor

Elevation: 1300-1650 MASL

Harvest: November-January, April-May

This Harimau Tiger represents the captivating complexity that emerges from the Gayo highlands surrounding Lake Laut Tawar in northern Sumatra's Aceh province. More than 90% of Indonesia's coffee is grown by smallholders on farms averaging around one hectare, and this lot showcases their incredible dedication to craft.

The wet-hulling process, or giling basah, is uniquely Indonesian - coffee is depulped and partially dried with mucilage still clinging to the parchment, then hulled while beans retain 30-35% moisture. This creates the signature syrupy body and brooding intensity the region is known for, while allowing those surprising melon notes to dance alongside deep chocolate tones.

The Gayo people have lived in these central highlands for more than 1,000 years, and coffee farming overtook tea and pepper as the dominant cash crop in the early 20th century. These mountains are part of the volcanic Bukit Barisan range, where 35 active volcanoes create the mineral-rich soils that give this coffee its remarkable depth and complexity.

The name "Harimau Tiger" honors the untamed beauty of northern Sumatra, capturing both the wild intensity and surprising sweetness that makes Acehnese coffee so distinctive in the specialty world.