Warsanlyngdoh Coffee Collective

It's always exciting for us to partner with a new farm. With Meghalaya's Warsanlyngdoh Coffee Collective, that excitement runs even deeper. A completely new coffee growing region for us, it speaks of the possibilities that the North East Indian soil holds for specialty production. The collective’s origin goes back a decade, when Daman, a first-generation coffee producer, visited Nongryniang—a remote village in Khasi Hills and home to the nanny who cared for him in his early years. There, nestled among the misty hills, I came across two old coffee plants growing in someone’s backyard. I later learned that back in the 1980s, the government had briefly launched a coffee planting program in the area. Like many such initiatives, it had long been abandoned and forgotten. But those plants stayed with me. And so did the people. Since then, Daman started a decade-long pursuit of craft and community. From shading systems to post-harvest processing, he spent years learning all it takes to grow high-quality coffee. Over time, the collective has grown in both, resolve and numbers, with 75 farmers now contributing to a harvest. They pick only the ripest cherries by hand, which are sun-dried for 15–22 days depending on weather conditions. The first coffee that we’ve sourced from the collective is a natural lot we’ve chosen to roast to a medium profile. It brews cups that open with the aroma of raisins, unfolding into a creamy mouthfeel. Notes of blueberry, black tea, and khasi mandarin carry through in each sip, with a long, marmalade-like finish. A balanced coffee, it lends well to various brewing methods, including espresso, Moka Pot, French Press, and AeroPress. It is enjoyable on its own as well as in milk-based beverages.