The Chandradona hills, or Baba Budan Hills, are considered the birthplace of Indian coffee, and the many streams and shade trees continue to make it a very fertile landscape. The Gungegiri Estate was first planted with coffee in 1890 but today the 200 hectare farm is operated by third generation Indian coffee producers Sangameshwar Coffee. Mr and Mrs Appadurai believe in their guardianship of the land and maintaining a generational sustainability. The indigenous trees provide for a diverse range of wildlife, which in turn provides for the coffee and vice versa- biodiversity at its finest.

This lot, roasted by PLOT, has undergone natural processing but is given a big flavour boost by yeast inoculation. Hand selected cherries are placed in sealed, oxygen-free fermentation tanks for 78 hours and inoculated with a microbial culture containing Lactobacillus and Pichia yeast, specially selected to bring out complexity. The resulting cup is vibrant and bright with citrus acidity but has a very moreish caramel sweetness.