Big, juicy, anaerobic natural coffees from Indonesia are becoming a significant part of what we do at Skylark, and this is one of the best we've tried so far. It comes from a part of Java we’ve never sourced from before, Flores, where coffee is grown in diverse polycultures and expertly processed. We think the result is stunning, complex, and clean, with vibrant notes of papaya, passionfruit, and nasturtium. We’re hoping to buy it yearly!

Meaning "above the clouds" in the local language, Laga Lizu originates from one of Indonesia's most renowned coffee regions, Bajawa, located in the Ngada district of Flores island. The region is known for its matrilineal society, where land ownership is passed down through women, and many women in the region own and manage their family coffee farms. Flores is celebrated not only for its coffee but also for its rich cultural heritage and its stunning natural landmarks such as Kelimutu Lake and the habitat of the iconic Komodo dragon. The coffee here thrives in loamy, volcanic soil, fed by the nearby active volcanoes — soil that resembles rich chocolate cake in texture and color. Coffee plays a central role in Bajawa culture. Visitors are always greeted with a hot cup of black coffee, a symbol of hospitality. Nearly every household has a coffee farm, and multiple households often share a pulper, ensuring a high standard of parchment quality. 

We sourced this coffee through our friends at Sucafina, who recently collaborated with the local community to establish a new processing facility for the 2024 harvest. Beyond traditional wet hulling, the facility now produces anaerobically fermented fully washed, honey, and natural process coffees, expanding the range of offerings from this unique region. Farming in Bajawa is typically done in polycultures, meaning coffee trees are interplanted with crops like ginger, colocasia (taro), and chayote (a type of squash) as a productive way of mimicking forest ecosystems.  Most farmers are smallholders, with an average farm size of just 0.66 hectares. Organic farming practices dominate, aided by the region's frequent mist and cloud cover. 

For this lot, ripe cherry was harvested from morning through the early afternoon. After intake, cherry was anaerobically fermented for 72 hours, then dried on racks for approximately 7 days. Once cherries reached the right level of moisture they were stored in the cooperative warehouse until being shipped to the mill for further quality control, hulling, grading, and final preparations for export.