Why We Love This Coffee

Timor-Leste is a region with a rich history and a unique coffee heritage. This coffee represents a beautiful connection to the rugged, mountainous landscapes of the Aileu and Orijem regions, where smallholder farmers work tirelessly to produce coffee that is both distinctive and deeply flavorful. This coffee is special to us because it highlights a lesser-known origin that we believe deserves a place in the spotlight.

We chose this coffee because it perfectly captures the vibrant, jammy sweetness that we love in naturally processed coffees. It’s a beautifully complex coffee with sweet, fruity notes of strawberry, cherry, and orange, balanced by a rich, sweet toffee undertone. It shines as both a filter coffee and a dense, syrupy espresso, making it a versatile addition to our lineup. It even pairs beautifully with milk, creating a creamy, fruit-forward experience in lattes and mochas.

It’s a coffee that tells a story – one of resilience, tradition, and the rediscovery of a unique coffee-growing region. It’s a reminder of why we started this journey, and why we continue to push the boundaries of what coffee can be.

Origin – Aileu and Orijem, Timor-Leste

This coffee comes from the Aileu and Orijem regions of Timor-Leste, an independent nation rich in diverse cultures, languages, and traditions. Shaped by its mountainous and fertile landscapes, Timor-Leste is home to resilient communities producing coffees with distinct flavors that reflect their unique terrain. Aileu is home to the first mill built by Project Origin in partnership with Orijem Timor, where modern processing methods have significantly elevated the quality of these coffees.

Producer / Importer – Project Origin / Ministry Grounds

This coffee was sourced through Project Origin in collaboration with Ministry Grounds, both of whom have been instrumental in supporting smallholder farmers in Timor-Leste. Their commitment to transparency, sustainability, and quality has helped elevate the reputation of Timor-Leste as a specialty coffee origin, ensuring that farmers receive fair compensation for their work.

Varietal – Typica and Catimor

This coffee is a blend of Typica and Catimor varietals, known for their bright acidity, complex fruit notes, and rich body. Typica, one of the oldest known Arabica varieties, is prized for its clean, balanced cup profile, while Catimor offers disease resistance and high yield, making it an ideal pairing for the rugged, high-altitude terrain of Timor-Leste.

Processing – Anaerobic Natural (Yeast-Inoculated Citrus Coferment)

This coffee undergoes a meticulous Anaerobic Natural process, involving yeast inoculation and citrus cofermentation in an oxygen-free environment. The process includes:

• Selective Harvesting: Cherries are picked at peak ripeness to ensure maximum sweetness and flavor.
• Yeast-Inoculated Cofermentation: Cherries are placed in sealed, oxygen-free tanks and inoculated with select yeast strains to enhance the fruity, jammy character of the coffee. The extended fermentation at ambient temperatures helps reduce rapid oxidation post-harvest, resulting in a more stable, complex cup.
• Staged Drying: Cherries are initially spread in thin layers on raised beds in the cooler climate of Aileu for 5-7 days, then transported to Dili for final drying, where warmer temperatures and lower humidity allow for precise moisture control. This process takes 25-30 days, reducing the moisture content to 10-12%.
• Storage and Preparation: Dried cherries are stored in GrainPro bags within a closed warehouse to preserve quality until milling and export preparation.

Tasting Notes

This coffee is rich and layered, with notes of strawberry, cherry, orange, and sweet toffee. It’s a perfect choice for those seeking a bold, fruit-forward cup with a syrupy, lingering sweetness.

Transparency

We believe in being transparent about the coffees we source. The green coffee for this lot was purchased at $34 AUD per kilogram (before shipping). At Two Places Project, we aim to change the way people perceive coffee prices, creating a different value proposition for specialty coffee by paying a fair price to producers and supporting the quality and sustainability of their work.

Brew Guide

coming soon :)