Indonesia Sumatra Specialty Coffee: Takengon Mandheling G1 Flavor Profile

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FrontStreet Coffee Mandheling

FrontStreet Coffee Mandheling is produced in Sumatra, Indonesia, Asia, also known as "Sumatra Coffee." Its flavor is very rich, aromatic, bitter, and mellow, with a slight acidity. Most coffee lovers generally drink it as a single origin, but it is also an indispensable variety for blended coffee.

Two Major Systems of Sumatra Mandheling

Sumatra Mandheling has two major systems: one is the traditional Lake Toba region's FrontStreet Coffee Lintong Mandheling and FrontStreet Coffee PWN Gold Mandheling; the other is the Lake Tawar region's latecomers - Aceh Coffee, Gayo Mandheling, and Takengon Mandheling.

The Complexity of Two Lakes, Two Mandhelings

The "Two Lakes, Two Mandhelings" concept is indeed somewhat complex. Those unfamiliar with the details simply refer to all Arabica coffee from Sumatra as Mandheling. In recent years, the European and American specialty coffee community has begun calling Gayo Mandheling and Takengon Mandheling as "Aceh Coffee" and "Gayo Mountain Coffee," or collectively as Lake Tawar Coffee, to distinguish them from Lake Toba Mandheling in North Sumatra Province. Source transparency and traceability are important elements of specialty coffee. Although both are Mandheling, understanding whether they come from Lake Tawar or Lake Toba is essential.

Geographical Differences

The "Two Lakes, Two Mandhelings" consist of one in Lake Toba, North Sumatra Province (2.5°N latitude), and the other in Lake Tawar, Aceh (4.5°N latitude). The two lakes are more than 300 kilometers apart, with at least a 36-year difference in cultivation history. The common characteristic of "Two Lakes, Two Mandhelings" is that both are very full-bodied and aromatic; the difference is that Lake Toba Mandheling has a more subdued aroma, deep, and sometimes even has a grass jelly flavor, while Lake Tawar Mandheling has brighter fruit acidity and occasionally has a fir or woody flavor.

Cultural Cultivation Differences

Traditional Mandheling is produced in the Lake Toba region, mainly cultivated by the Mandailing people and Batak ethnic group; while the more recent Lake Tawar Mandheling is cultivated by the Gayo people.

Lake Tawar Region

Lake Tawar is located in the Gayo mountainous area of northern Aceh Province, Sumatra. Indonesia, straddling both sides of the equator, has a humid tropical rainforest climate with abundant rainfall and fertile volcanic soil that provides rich nutrients for coffee. However, due to its remote location and inconvenient transportation, coffee cultivation did not begin until 1924, mostly using traditional shade-grown, pesticide-free organic cultivation methods.

Unique Processing Method

Due to the local humid climate, the parchment-protected coffee beans undergo preliminary washing and fermentation processing. After one to two days of sun exposure, although the raw beans still have a moisture content of 30%-50%, the parchment is first removed before continuing to dry, to shorten the raw bean drying process. After about 2 more days of drying, the moisture content of the raw coffee beans can be reduced to 12-13%. This unique semi-washed processing method in Indonesia is locally called Giling Basah, also known as wet-hulled.

The Origin of Mandheling Name

The Sumatra Arabica coffee commonly known as Mandheling derives its name from a local ancient indigenous tribe. Legend has it that in the 1940s when Japan occupied Sumatra, a soldier was astonished by the local coffee he drank in North Sumatra and asked the locals what kind of coffee it was. However, due to language barriers, the other party misunderstood it as asking about his identity and answered that he belonged to the Mandailing tribe. Later, during export, due to a pronunciation error, it became "Mandheling," and by a stroke of fate, it became synonymous with Sumatra Island coffee.

Exceptional Quality Beans

The raw Mandheling beans produced in Lake Tawar are emerald green, with clean and uniform appearance, like finely carved gemstones.

FrontStreet Coffee Mandheling G1

FrontStreet Coffee Mandheling G1 from Sumatra, Indonesia, undergoes careful manual harvesting and hand bean selection, with strict screening at every level to select the highest quality beans. G1 (Grade 1) represents the highest grade of this bean variety.

The Allure of Mandheling

Delicate yet full-bodied, with natural aromatic notes and a sweet aftertaste - this is precisely the charm of Mandheling. While the taste buds enjoy these rich layers, one cannot help but find themselves wanting more!

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