Allanasons Heritage India Peaberry Arabica

Our multi-temperature medium roast (two temperatures, 20 degrees apart) showcases three varieties of Arabica coffees that combine genes from 5 different subspecies. Unique to India, this taste profile is something you have to try to experience.

India's coffee tradition goes back 400 years or more, when a variety called Kent was first established in the Southern Hills. Arabicas predominated until the coffee blight of 1870, when growers needed to create natural hybrids or switch to resistant varieties. The resultant strains had genes from Liberica and other resistant species such as Timor, Tafarikela and Catimor, and present a unique taste profile as a result. They are grown in a double-tiered shade system. Often inter-cropped with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, the coffees gain aromatics from the inter-cropping, storage, and handling functions.

Karnataka is where the heart of India’s coffee production beats. Around 90% of the country’s coffee volume grows in the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, and most Arabica farms are between 700 to 1,200m. Coffee from Karnataka is known for well-rounded and balanced flavor profiles, like this lot sourced in partnership with Allanasons that features sweet notes of milk chocolate, red apple, and cane sugar.

Peaberry coffee is a result of genetic mutation where only one seed develops inside a coffee cherry instead of two. Peaberries are usually smaller, denser, and rounder (and cuter!) than regular coffee beans. Around 1 in 9 coffee cherries result in a peaberry; it takes patience to sort these out from the rest of the beans.

Coffee in India grows in the shade canopy of evergreen leguminous trees on smallholder farms that are mostly less than 10 hectares in size. Producers intercrop coffee with spices, pepper, cardamom, vanilla, orange, and banana trees. Sometimes you can taste these gentle notes in the coffee!

We love this new origin; it is super-rich and flavorful.

8 ounce bags, choose whole bean or ground.