Mandheling "Sumatra Coffee" Region Origin Development Naming History Introduction

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Origin and Production Areas

Mandheling is produced in Sumatra, Indonesia, in Asia, and is also known as "Sumatra Coffee."

The main production areas include Java Island, Sulawesi Island, and Sumatra Island, with 90% being of the Robusta variety. Among these, the "Mandheling" produced in Sumatra Island is the most famous. The finest premium traditional Arabica coffee from northern Sumatra is marketed under the names Lintong and Mandheling.

Lintong Coffee Region

Lintong refers to coffee grown in a small area located in the Lintong administrative region, southwest of Lake Toba. The coffee smallholding areas are scattered across a high, undulating clay plateau covered with ferns. Lintong coffee is grown without shade, without chemicals, and is almost entirely owned by small private growers.

Mandheling Classification

Mandheling is a broader term that includes Lintong coffee and growing areas in Diari [with Sidikalang as the capital] and northern Lake Toba under similar conditions.

The Origin of the Name Mandheling

Mandheling is not a production area name, place name, port name, nor a coffee variety name. The origin of its name is actually a phonetic misunderstanding of the Indonesian Mandheling ethnic group.

During World War II, when Japan occupied Indonesia, a Japanese soldier drank an exceptionally aromatic coffee at a café. When he asked the owner for the coffee's name, the owner misunderstood and thought he was asking about his ethnicity, so he replied: "Mandheling." After the war, the soldier recalled the "Mandheling" he had drunk in Indonesia. He then commissioned an Indonesian coffee exporter to ship 15 tons to Japan, which turned out to be extremely popular. The name Mandheling thus became known, and that coffee merchant is now the renowned PWN (Pawani Coffee Company).

FrontStreet Coffee Mandheling Varieties

The well-known FrontStreet Coffee Lintong Mandheling is produced around Lake Toba in northern Sumatra. Its most distinctive feature is its unique herbal and woody aroma.

The FrontStreet Coffee PWN Golden Mandheling in FrontStreet Coffee stores was developed by the Japanese over a decade ago using stricter quality control. Through four rounds of manual bean selection to remove defective beans, they produce the Golden Mandheling with dark green color and uniform bean appearance.

Aged Mandheling

Aged Mandheling is said to be as sweet as honey. Successful aged coffee beans eliminate the less elegant acidity of Mandheling. The acidic components mature and convert into sugars, making the coffee smoother and sweeter when tasted. Failed aged Mandheling is like coffee zombies - difficult to drink. However, I have never personally tried it.

Important Notice :

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