It’s no secret — we love carefully blending coffees (our name is a bit of a giveaway). But even we have to admit, many specialty-grade coffees are so vibrant and flavourful that there's no need to mess with these gems.

Our current Single Origin is from Yunnan, China. This lot is washed-processed and delivers notes of ripe fruits like apricot, mandarin, and golden apple, with subtle warm spice and a candied lemon sweetness.

Coffee was first cultivated in China in the late 1800s on a small scale, introduced by French missionaries in Yunnan.

Production at scale didn’t begin until nearly 100 years later. In 1988, a government-led project kickstarted commercial coffee production for export. The country’s focus on specialty-grade coffee is relatively recent, with the last decade seeing smaller farms and producers significantly improving their knowledge and practices.

We sourced this coffee through our friends at Indochina Coffee. The Kaku farm is located in Paliang, the largest coffee-producing area in Menglian County, Yunnan. The family-run farm and washing station is led by Mr Li, who processes coffee grown by both nearby smallholder villages and on his own land. Mr Li and his family are well-respected in the local community, actively supporting education and healthcare in this remote region.

Alongside coffee, the farm also cultivates a variety of trees — including camphor (used for essential oil), Tianzhugui (used in traditional Chinese medicine), and Huanghuali (a type of rosewood grown to provide shade).

They primarily grow Catimor — a hardy cross-variety that often gets a bad rap in the specialty world for its lack of cup quality. However, this lot is a fantastic example of just how delicious Catimor can be when grown and processed with care. It’s sweet, fruity, and herbaceous, showcasing what’s possible when expertise meets terroir.

This coffee is processed using the washed method: cherries are hand-harvested from surrounding villages, pulped to remove the outer layers, and dry-fermented for 18 hours. After fermentation, the beans are passed through flowing water channels to separate by density. Finally, the coffee is spread out on patios to dry for around 10 days.

We’ve roasted this lot to bring out its best characteristics — a balanced profile with a complex milk chocolate finish, layered with notes of apricot, mandarin, golden apple, warm spices, and a candied lemon sweetness. It’s a vibrant and adventurous cup that we’re proud to share.