India, the land of rainforest and elephants also produces some amazing coffee. Grown in the southern end of the country these coffees are graced with a pronounced body and subtle spicy notes. They also possess a hint of earthiness and low acidity much like their cousins from Sumatra. Entirely shade grown, coffees from India enjoy an extreme flexibility in the ways they can be roasted.
Legend has it that the holy man Baba Budan was traveling home from his visit to Mecca and passed through Mocha, Yemen. There he was served a heavenly cup of coffee. Baba Budan was determined to bring this delight home so he wrapped seven coffee beans in a scarf, tied them around his waist and smuggled them out of Arabia. The hills where this first crop of coffee was planted in 1670 are named after Baba Budan and are located in present day Karnataka province.
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Monsoon Washed Malabar
A fortunate accident brought to light this wonderful way to process coffee. A freighter with a hold full of coffee left India late in the season and was delayed by the monsoons. When the ship finally arrived and the casks of coffee were opened, it was discovered that the beans had turned to a golden yellow color and had swollen to nearly half again their normal size because of extreme moisture. Thinking quickly the trader sold the beans as Monsoon Washed Malabar, a ‘new’ kind of coffee from exotic India. The rich mellow taste and beautiful golden appearance were a big hit and the trader returned to request more of these Monsoon Washed Malabar beanst. To this very day Monsoon washed Malabar beans are still produced with the help of this natural phenomenon. This unique Indian coffee is a must have for any coffee connoisseur.
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