Kaku

Zesty lemon, sweet butterscotch, and a creamy, dessert-like finish make this Yunnan coffee a bold and unforgettable brew.

Producer:  Mr Zhang

Farm: Kaku Washing Station

Region:  Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, China

Cultivar: Catimor P3 and P4

Process: Washed

Altitude:  1600 masl

The Yunnan region, famed for biodiversity and tea, has gained recognition for unique, quality focused specialty coffees in the last decade.  Early production in China focused on commodity volume washed coffees for the ever-growing domestic market. Once production stabilised, recent years have seen diversification into micro-lots and higher quality processing methods with a focus on building flavour through fermentation that are breaking preconceptions around the world.

At 1600m above sea level, Kaku farm sits at a higher elevation than most coffee farms in Yunnan. Cooler temperatures and shade from indigenous rosewood trees allow cherries to ripen slowly, producing denser beans with exceptional flavour potential. Mr Zhang makes the best of this by meticulously processing his coffee. An 18-hour fermentation after pulping builds ripe, dessert-like flavours in this excellent Chinese coffee.

Bright juicy lemon notes freshen dried apple sweetness, while rich butterscotch creates depth and warmth in the cup. Sweet pastry notes and subtle hints of raisin meld with a buttery, creamy texture, bringing a dessert-like quality to the coffee. The medium roast enhances the caramelised base while preserving these delicate flavours, allowing the structured acidity to carry through to a smooth, luxurious finish.