With the passing of the Sumatra Aceh Tengah Organic, we were searching for a new Sumatra. So with the new crop Raja Batak hitting, the timing could not be better. Here it is.

Raja Batak is a semi-washed (hand pulped) Arabica coffee produced in North Sumatra, west of Lake Toba at a height of 1000 – 1600 metres above sea level. The coffee is only available in limited quantities and until now has only been exported to specialty roasters in Japan and the United States. It’s great that we now see it as a regular feature in Europe.

Raja Batak means ‘King of Batak’. The Batak are a number of in-between related ethnic groups in Northern Sumatra with a language of their own. The most common known group within the Batak are the Toba Batak. The Batak most probably left the Philippines and Borneo for the highlands of North Sumatra approximately three to four thousand years ago. According to Toba legend, Si Raja Batak, the mythical ancestor of all Batak, came down on the Central Mountain west of Lake Toba a long, long time ago and decided to settle there due to the beauty of the area. According to scientists Lake Toba arose more than 70 thousand years ago as a result of a mega volcanic eruption which clouded the earth for many years. The lake itself measures 100 km in length, 31 km in width and has a depth of more than 450 metres. The area is most suitable for the production of a high quality of coffee due to its height, climate, and soil fertility.

But enough about the geography and history, I hear you yell – what about this coffee in the cup! Well, it is a typical Lingtong with a heavy body, syrupy flavour, spiciness and tones of dark chocolate. What is unusual is its clean taste; earthy with a finesse and an elegance that is very pleasing. It has body with grace. We are very pleased to be able to offer you this fine coffee.

you can buy it here