SICC - Excelsa

Most experimentation with specialty coffee revolves around Arabica. But, at Mooleh Manay Estate, Komal and Akshay are asking what else deserves exploration. Researching alternative coffee species, the two are not only working on climate-proofing specialty coffee but are also pushing the boundaries of flavour. This special lot, crafted entirely using beans grown on the Excelsa species, is an example of the same. Since Excelsa is a 20-meter-tall tree, pickers used ladders to harvest the fruit. Ripe cherries were then sorted by submerging in water, removing floaters that are usually underripe or defective. The remaining cherries were then fermented for 84 hours, in a CO2 rich environment, alongside a custom culture. Finally, the cherries were dried inside a polyhouse, with continuous raking to ensure even drying. Tyler, head of our roasting department, and Subham, one of our first roasters at Blue Tokai, collaborated to fine-tune this lot's roast profile. The result is an intense cup that opens with the aroma of wild berries, and treats you to notes of cola, black currant, ripe banana, and molasses. And even when paired with milk, this coffee holds its distinctive and punchy profile. We suggest brewing it as an espresso, a Pour Over, or a French Press.