India Monsoon Malabar AA. The last time we brought you a coffee from India as OOM (December 2021), we sold out of it in 18 days. It was that good. This India coffee is different but every bit as good as the first one. 

The origins of the way this coffee is processed go way back to the time when coffee was shipped in wooden vessels. Prior to the opening of the Suez Canal (1859) in Egypt, the only way to get coffee from India to Europe was by sailing all the way around the southern part of Africa. This journey took about six months. During that time, the raw coffee on the ships was exposed to salty, humid air from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. This long exposure to the elements caused the coffee to change from its fresh, raw, green color to an aged, pale, yellow color. Surprisingly though, when brewed, this coffee was found to have a unique mellowness, and smooth, soft taste and it became an instant hit in Europe.    

Today, this process is replicated on the West Coast of India by exposing top-grade harvested beans that have already been through the natural method of processing, to the winds from the Arabian Sea during Monsoon months of June through September. The process takes 12-to-16-weeks. The beans are laid out on patios, and workers frequently rake them at set intervals to ensure moisture is absorbed throughout the beans.  During the process, the beans swell to nearly twice their size and the color changes to pale gold or light brown. When the process is complete, the coffee is graded, bagged, and moved to a drier region for long term storage. This results in very unique flavors that appeal to coffee lovers all over the world.

It is a special cup that we believe you will really enjoy. This coffee is earthy and smoky, and you may get some notes of spice, which is typical of India coffees. It is creamy, mellow, and full of flavor. A must try, for sure. Photo Credit: Royal New York