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Unfamiliar Origins: Sri Lanka
Orange, cacao and dried plum
Grown in the highlands of Sri Lanka's Kotmale Valley, this coffee is rich and complex, with a vibrant note of orange accompanied by a sweet note of cacao and a finish akin to dried plums.
| TASTES LIKE | Orange, cacao and dried plum |
| ROAST | Milk-Based |
For most coffee drinkers, Sri Lanka is known for tea. But before Ceylon tea became world famous, the island was one of the world's largest coffee-producing nations. That changed in the late 1800s when coffee leaf rust devastated plantations across the country. As coffee production declined, tea became Sri Lanka's defining crop, and its coffee story faded from view. Today, that story is beginning again.
In the mist-covered highlands of the Kotmale Valley, Soul Coffee Collective is working to revive Sri Lankan specialty coffee. Supported by Project Origin and ONA founder Sasa Sestic on processing and quality, the team is combining sustainable farming with modern processing techniques to unlock the potential of this historic origin. Soul Coffee Collective works directly with more than 300 smallholder farming families throughout the Kotmale region, supporting producers through sustainable farming practices, ongoing education and premium pricing for coffee cherries. Their focus is not only on producing exceptional coffee, but on rebuilding Sri Lanka's coffee industry for future generations.
This lot showcases that new direction. Produced using a carefully managed 72-hour Anaerobic Natural fermentation, it highlights the character of Sri Lanka's highlands while demonstrating what's possible through thoughtful processing and collaboration.
More than an unfamiliar origin, this coffee offers a glimpse into the return of one of coffee's forgotten histories.
| PRODUCER | Soul Coffee Collective |
| REGION | Kotmale |
| VARIETAL | S 09 (Arabica) |
| PROCESS | Anaerobic Natural (72 Hours - Fermentation Time) |
| ALTITUDE | 1200 masl |
Nestled within Sri Lanka's central highlands, the Kotmale Valley provides an ideal environment for growing specialty coffee. At around 1,200 metres above sea level, cool temperatures, fertile soils and frequent mountain mist allow cherries to mature slowly, developing greater sweetness and complexity.
Coffee has a rich history in Sri Lanka. During the nineteenth century, the island was one of the world's leading coffee producers before coffee leaf rust devastated plantations and shifted the country's focus almost entirely towards tea. While coffee never disappeared completely, it remained a small industry for more than a century.
Today, producers like Soul Coffee Collective are helping revive that legacy by focusing on quality, sustainability and collaboration. Through shade-grown cultivation, careful processing and close relationships with local farming communities, Sri Lankan coffee is once again finding its place on the world stage.
NOTE THESE ARE A STARTING POINT AND INDICATE A RANGE TO WORK WITHIN
| Age Best Used | 7-20 days after roast |
| Brew Parameters | Dose 20g in a V60 and add 300g of water in 5 pours of 60g at 88 degrees C. Start with a 60g bloom for 30 seconds then allow water to drain through each subsequent time before adding more water, aim to finish at 2:30. |
| Best Freeze Date | 7-12 days after roast |