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New Origin Spotlight: India Karnataka
Oct
We’re excited to release the first-ever coffees from India. After years of sourcing from origins across Latin America and Africa, we’ve finally introduced two exceptional lots from Karnataka, a region that’s redefining Indian speciality coffee through innovation, care for the land, and dedication to quality.
These are coffees that surprised and delighted us from the first cup: complex, layered, and distinctly expressive of place. Both come from farms that not only grow excellent coffee but do so while protecting biodiversity and experimenting with forward-thinking fermentation and processing methods.
Karnataka Natural from Gundikhan Estate
In the misty highlands of Chikmagalur, between 1,300 and 1,400 meters above sea level, lies Gundikhan Estate, a member of the KaadKaapi group. Run by Saif Ulla, whose commitment to both conservation and coffee excellence is nothing short of remarkable.
Gundikhan borders the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, a thriving forest ecosystem home to elephants, leopards, deer, and even tigers. Rather than pushing against nature, Saif works alongside it. His estate acts as a natural corridor for wildlife, and he maintains close communication with forest guards to ensure harmony between cultivation and conservation.
Across 36 hectares, Saif cultivates Sarchimor (Chandragiri) coffee trees under shade and with an approach that favours biodiversity over volume. Every harvest is handpicked and processed with precision. In recent years, Gundikhan has become a hub for experimentation, from exploring natural, honey, anoxic, to carbonic maceration processes. Each one tuned to bring more clarity and complexity to the cup.
This lot, a natural process coffee, bursts with notes of tropical fruit and sweetness. A playful mix of glacé cherries, strawberry, mango, and butterscotch, lifted by a bright, lemonade-like acidity.
Karnataka Washed from Kerehaklu Estate
Not far from Gundikhan, in the hills of Aldur, sits Kerehaklu Estate, a family-run farm led by Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah. Together, father and son have created a model of modern, thoughtful coffee cultivation rooted in generations of knowledge.
While Ajoy focuses on the agronomy and health of the plants, Pranoy leads the post-harvest processing with a blend of scientific curiosity and respect for the natural microbiome of the farm. His approach draws inspiration from sourdough fermentation, using native yeasts and bacteria to guide flavour development rather than override it.
What makes this particular lot special is its coffee blossom starter culture, a technique Pranoy developed by cultivating microorganisms found naturally on coffee flowers.
The result is a sequentially fermented washed coffee with beautiful clarity and a silky texture. Expect flavours of peaches and cream, Assam tea, blackcurrant, hazelnut, and milk chocolate. Smooth and layered, with a refined sweetness that lingers long after the last sip.
