Is Sumatra Mandheling Sour? An Introduction to Mandheling Coffee Flavor Profile

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FrontStreet Coffee Sumatra Mandheling Coffee Flavor Profile

The Origin of Mandheling

Mandheling is neither an Indonesian place name, region name, port name, nor a coffee variety name. Instead, it is a mispronunciation of the Mandailing people who originally inhabited Sumatra. During World War II, when a Japanese soldier was drinking coffee in Sibolga, central Tapanuli, Indonesia, he asked the shop owner what kind of coffee he was drinking. The owner, thinking he was asked about his origin, replied "Mandailing." After the war, when the Japanese soldier returned to his homeland, he remembered the particularly distinctive coffee seemed to be called "Mandheling." In 1968, Nomura Trading Company from Osaka, Japan, visited N.V. Pawani Medan Company in Indonesia and imported 15,000 kilograms of Sumatra Mandheling coffee, which became extremely popular after being launched in the Japanese market. From then on, Mandheling coffee and Pawani Coffee Company gained great fame. This is also why Japan has more people who initially drink Mandheling.

The Origin of Mandheling

The main origins of Mandheling coffee include Java Island, Sulawesi Island, and Sumatra Island, growing on plateau mountains at altitudes of 750-1500 meters, with 90% being Arabica varieties. Among these, the "Mandheling" produced in Sumatra Island is the most famous. Among the finest traditional Arabica coffees produced in northern Sumatra, the best should be Lintong and Mandheling. Strictly speaking, Lintong refers to coffee grown in a small area in the southwestern part of Lake Toba in the Lintong administrative region. The coffee small planting areas are scattered on a high and undulating fern-covered clay plateau. Lintong coffee is grown without shade, without chemical products, and is almost entirely owned by small private owners. Mandheling is a broader term that includes Lintong coffee and planting areas in Diari and the northern part of Lake Toba under similar conditions.

Bitter and Rich Mandheling

Coffee produced by the Batak people in the area of Lake Toba in north-central Sumatra or the Lintong mountainous area is mostly grown without shade and mainly processed using semi-dry or dry methods. The herbal and earthy flavors are more obvious, with a tendency toward low acidity and mellow aroma, which is the biggest characteristic of Mandheling coffee. Significantly different from African coffee flavors, it is richly bitter and fragrant, with excellent body thickness, and often carries chocolate flavors. However, in the Tawar Lake area at the northernmost tip of Sumatra or the Aceh region, another Gayo people use traditional shade-growing methods and mainly process with washed or semi-washed methods. The acidity and aroma are relatively bright, while the mellow notes are lighter. The American specialty coffee community mostly refers to coffee from this region as Aceh coffee, Gayo Mountain coffee, or Tawar Lake coffee.

Sumatra Mandheling has two famous varieties: Sumatra Mandheling DP Grade 1 and Aged Sumatra Mandheling. Sumatra Mandheling DP Grade 1 has a long aftertaste with a wild fragrance - the distinctive earthy flavor found in primeval forests. In fact, the richness of Mandheling presents a very masculine feeling. High-quality Grade 1 Mandheling coffee has very light acidity, like the slight tartness of flowers and fruits. Besides the unique richness characteristic of Indonesian coffee, it also has a sweet-in-bitter taste that is deeply loved by people who enjoy dark roast coffee.

The reason why Aged Sumatra Mandheling coffee is called "Aged" is because it is stored in cellars for three years before export. However, aged coffee is definitely not stale coffee, but rather slightly pale coffee that has undergone special treatment. This coffee is richer, the acidity decreases, but the body increases and the aftertaste becomes longer. It also carries a rich spicy flavor - sometimes sour and spicy, sometimes peppery, and sometimes chocolatey.

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