Yemen Mocca Kholani Natural

Kholani coffee is in a class of it's own, even within the unique origin of Yemen. It's a term of terroir distinction, similar to “Kona”, that refers to high-quality heirloom coffee varieties produced in the unique climate and soil of Yemen’s northern ranges. Kholani coffee is widely regarded in Yemen as one of its best and most historic. It's got A syrupy body, moderate acidity and a very heavy, almost 1/2 and 1/2 like mouthfeel. The flavors have an herbaceous depth with prominent notes of dark chocolate, rhubarb and raspberry.

Arrival Date: November 12th, 2021

Acidity & Brightness: Moderate to low acidity, warm sweetness

Balance & Finish: Deeply complex with a lingering finish

Body & Texture: Syrupy with a very heavy mouthfeel

Flavors: Rhubarb, raspberry, dark chocolate and herbaceous undertone

Grade: Very hard and dense, grown at 1500-2200 masl

Processing: Natural processed, sun dried on rooftops and raised beds

Grower: Assorted farmers organized around Muslot Trading Stores

Region: Sa’adah Governorate

Varietals: Audaini, Dawaery, Tuffahi

Roasting: Start at City + (light-medium) and go a bit darker as desired. We find it best not to go any darker than Full City (Medium) and in fact you could go as light as city (light) to bring out more acidity and brightness. For a City+ roast, pull the coffee as first crack trails off.

Reminder! This coffee is raw and must be roasted before brewing

Our Review: "This coffee is produced by legacy farmers of various sizes in the high mountains of Yemen’s northwestern Sa’adah Governorate. “Kholani”, or “Khulani” is a term of terroir distinction, similar to “Kona”, that refers to high-quality heirloom coffee varieties produced in the unique climate and soil of Yemen’s northern ranges. Kholani coffee is widely regarded in Yemen as one of its best and most historic. All Kholani coffee is processed as a natural: hand-picked, sorted for consistency, and dried in a single layer in full sun on raised beds or rooftops. Yemen is the oldest territory on Earth to cultivate coffee. Its seed stock, originally transported from wild arabica landraces in Ethiopia, was used to create the world’s first ever coffee farms where coffee would be grown commercially for trade across the Arabian peninsula and eventually mainland Europe. “Arabica” itself referred to the Arabian coffee supply that was the West’s first in history. Maintaining coffee trees in a climate as dry, high, and uniquely challenging as Yemen’s western and northern ranges, requires the kind of proven techniques that only generations of farming can bestow." - Royal Coffee

Yemeni coffee is expensive for many reasons, but let's just talk about the big 3. First, it's incredibly unique. It most closely compares to its genetic forebear, the heirloom Ethiopian coffee. But the climate of the mountainous regions of the Arabian peninsula subjects the beans to intense pressure, which transforms the cup into something completely original. Second, there's very little of it available. The lack of water forces farmers to spread out the coffee plants more generously, meaning there's less coffee produced per acre. About 1/4 as much when compared to most coffee growing regions. The harsh conditions also cause the coffee to yield fewer beans as well. Third, Yemen's ongoing civil war has not only killed thousands and displaced millions, it's wiped out Yemen's national infrastructure, leaving farmers with very little support bringing their coffee to the international market.

All that is to say, coffee from Yemen is rare and high quality coffee from Yemen is INCREDIBLY rare! So don't miss your chance to grab some of this incredible and unique coffee and support farmers who are working through impossible conditions to bring it to us. As we mentioned earlier, this Kholani is most closely compared to natural processed Ethiopian coffees: complex, fruity and funky with moderate to low acidity. What's so different about it is the depth of flavor and the weight of the mouthfeel. It's almost like drinking 1/2 and 1/2! It's got notes of rhubarb and juicy raspberry with dark chocolate and an herbaceous undertone.