Putra Gayo, Sumatra

Within Aceh, Sumatra, is a farm that spans 250 hectares and is responsible for 275,000 coffee trees. Amongst the coffee are many shade trees such as Lamtoro, Banana, Orange, Avocado and Jackfruit. Iwannitosa Putra, the owner of Putra Gayo specialises in producing both washed and natural coffees, whereas most Sumatran coffee is typically wet-hulled. Due to the humid climate and cloud cover over the island of Sumatra, washed coffee's are rarely produced; when they are, they are often sent to a central processing unit or mill where the whole cherries are de-pulped and fermented in open-air tanks for up to 36 hours before being washed completely clean. They are then dried on either raised beds, in parabolic or solar dryers (a big greenhouse), or on tarpaulins. The result is a clean bright cup, with sweet and crisp taste notes of shortbread, stewed apple and caramel.