Cup of the Month: Organic Retro Sumatra Mandheling
This is a fairly new (and limited) addition to our Indonesian shelf and we’ve really been enjoying it!
How’s it taste?
This full city roasted brew is quite similar to our Sumatra Mandheling and Sumatra Takengon, but with some added weight and flavor. It has a full body and low acidity typical of many Indonesian beans, but with a more prominent richness and delicious chocolate notes.
What’s so “Retro” about it?
This bean is titled “Retro” for a couple of different reasons, one being that the brew is meant to be a callback to a once famous coffee known for its top quality called the Golden Mandheling. True Golden was sold solely by the Pawani Company, and was incredibly popular for many decades before fading away into obscurity. According to this article by Royal Coffee, who sold the Golden primarily in the ‘80s and ‘90s, the Retro is “a fitting tribute and close representation of the original Golden,” and meant to bring drinkers a taste of that distinctive quality once again. Retro beans are also processed using a far older, more traditional method than what is typically done on farms today, resulting in a bean that’s packed with flavor!
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