India Mysore Plantation A

Mysore, in the south western state of Karnataka, has a reputation for coffee tracing its roots back to Bababudan, the historical figure credited with introducing coffee to India. Coffee here is often taken to the curing centre – which we know more commonly as a dry mill, though can be in cherry form for drying and processing rather than just in parchment. The quality department do the work to ensure that washed Arabicas grown in the regions of Chikmagalur, Coorg, Biligiris, Bababudangiris and Shevaroys are expertly blended to maintain a taste profile throughout the year.

Coffee is commonly intercropped with pepper and/or cardamom, allowing farms to manage a balanced cashflow thoroughout the year. Basic amenities are provided to both full time and seasonal workers, with the former being more involved in pruning, fertilizing and general upkeep of the farm infrastructure during non harvesting times.

This is a mixed varietal coffee, though the more commonly found Arabicas in the Mysore region are S795, Sln.5B, Sln6, Sln9, Chandigiri and Cauvery. Many of these selections have a Kent heritage, though Sln5B is a cross between robusta and Devamanchy, with Devamnchy itself being the Indian version of HDT – a spontaneous wild crossing between Arabica and Robusta. The Central Coffee Research Institute was behind a lot of these, and is based near Balehonnur in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. Founded in 1925 it now has around 130 hectares of land with 80 hectares growing coffee for further development and research. Chandigiri in particular is favoured for its yield.

Processing in India is commonly done with no fermentation to remove the mucilage. Cherry is picked, pulped, and sorted straight away, drying on patios under the sun unless weather or volume dictates the additional use of mechanical driers.