05/09/2022
The Background Of Sulawesi Coffee
Sulawesi coffee beans (sometimes referred to as ‘Toraja’) is one of the gems of the Pacific coffee-growing world.
Wildly grown, hard to find, and utterly delicious, getting a good cup of this coffee is the perfect challenge for any coffee aficionado looking for an adventure.
The island of Sulawesi is part of Indonesia – one of the top 5 coffee-growing countries in the world. But coffee isn’t native to the multi-island nation, and the history of the plant’s arrival to the islands within the Malay Archipelago is often clouded in mist.
It was likely during the 16th century that coffee plants were initially brought to the region. They were first planted in Jakarta by the colonial Dutch, who thought they could create a booming business in the coffee-friendly climate.
The experiment of the Dutch colonists was a success, and over time the plants were moved to other islands, including the large island of Sulawesi (then known as Celebes), which was located in the center of the archipelago.
This former name of the island, along with the region of Toraja and city of Kalossi, have all lent their names to the coffees produced there. So you might see Sulawesi, Sulawesi Toraja, Celebes Kalossi, and so on.
Sulawesi coffee can be on the lighter, more acidic side when compared to other coffees from the archipelago. Consider Sumatran coffee, for example, which generally tends to be very full-bodied with low acidity.
To be clear, this doesn’t mean that Sulawesi is an overly light, bright, and acidic coffee. On the contrary, it is still a very rich, dark, and pleasant variation. Sulawesi is strong, bold, and full of life.
Sulawesi Toraja coffee taste:
Aroma: Nutty and chocolaty
Taste: Low to medium levels of acidity; silky, creamy, heavy-bodied texture; warm overtones of cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices; subtle hints of fruit and dark chocolate
Aftertaste: Smooth finish
