Indonesia Ara Cahayani Gayo – Wet Hulled

Tasting Notes: Chocolate & Nuts

Origin: Aceh, Northern Sumatra

Co-op: Ara Cahayani Gayo (2,753 farmers, this lot from ~500 smallholders)

Altitude: 1,200m – 1,600m

Process: Wet Hulled (“Giling Basah”)

100% Arabica 

The Story

From the lush Gayo Highlands of northern Sumatra, this lot comes from the Ara Cahayani Gayo co-operative, a group that began with just 25 farmers and has since grown to support nearly 3,000 smallholders. The collective is known for its commitment to sustainable farming and meticulous quality control, ensuring every cup tells the story of the highlands where it was grown.

The Process

This coffee is prepared using Indonesia’s iconic wet-hulled process (“Giling Basah”), a method unique to the islands.

• Ripe cherries are handpicked and pulped the same day.
• They undergo overnight fermentation before brief sun-drying in parchment.
• While still high in moisture, the parchment layer is hulled, and the beans continue drying until they reach export-ready stability.
• Finally, the coffee is double hand-sorted to remove any defects, ensuring exceptional quality.

The result is a distinctive, complex cup with the hallmark depth of Sumatran coffees.

Tasting Notes:

Chocolate & Nuts

A Note on History

Coffee has been part of Indonesia’s story since the 17th century. The first plants arrived in Java in 1696 but were lost to floods. A second attempt in 1699, brought from Ceylon, finally took hold — and for centuries “Java” was the name synonymous with all Indonesian coffee. Today, regions like Sumatra’s Gayo Highlands carry that legacy forward, producing some of the world’s most sought-after coffees.