About the Coffee

Lintong is southwest of Lake Toba, high on a plateau with a notable diversity of tree ferns. This richly volcanic region is known for fertile soils, myriad microclimates created by small valleys, and much sought-after Blue Batak coffee. Around 70,000 years ago, a massive super-volcano erupted in Lintong. The eruption was the biggest on earth in the last 25 million years, and left many lakes and incredibly fertile soil in its wake. In fact, the soil is so rich that the Bataknese say you can put a chair in the ground, and it will become a table.

The majority of farms in Lintong are small in size, and self-sufficiency is a key value here. The Bataknese sometimes cultivate more than 10 different crops at their small estates, making these backyard farms an interesting sight. Our Lintong is a very special coffee; everything from farm to drying is done by hand. At sunrise, farmers start picking the ripe cherries before pulping them with manual pulpers. After storing the wet parchment in bags to ferment overnight, the parchment is spread out on patios to dry. When the parchment is dry enough, it takes on a deep blue-greenish color and is ready for hulling. Another two or three days are needed for further drying before the coffee is triple handpicked and packed.