Dark Lord
It is a privilege to source coffee from the young and exceptional producers of Gayo. Unlike the conventional approach of large-scale farming, Bunge Lungi Estate redefines the profession by cultivating small plots planted with resilient, high-yield varieties such as P88. This focus not only produces outstanding quality but also builds a sustainable future for specialty coffee in the region. From their latest harvest, we have selected two remarkable lots.
This year, Bunge Lungi explores a new approach to drying coffee through a technique called Dark Room, inspired by the relationship between sunlight, heat, and oxidation during the drying process. By eliminating sunlight entirely within a controlled drying environment, the coffee is allowed to dry gradually through vaporisation, without the direct heat that typically accelerates oxidation and influences the final cup profile. Before entering the dark room, the coffee undergoes a carbonic maceration process, allowing fermentation to develop another layer of character before drying begins. The result is a distinct expression of Bunge Lungi, shaped by its origin, fermentation, and a drying process that takes place entirely away from the light.
Sourcing coffee from the same origin, especially from estates like Bunge Lungi, has always been at the core of how we practise specialty coffee. The Dark Room process keeps us excited to return to their coffee, offering a familiar origin through an entirely different expression. This coffee is no short of intensity, bursting with deep grape, black cherry and cherry liqueur sensations. Brewed by hand, it delivers sweet purple grape, tangy asam gelugur, rounded melon and a subtle fermented cherry character. As espresso, it leans towards rum, raisin and black cherry sweetness, followed by fruity soursop and a prominent note of liquorice. With milk, the fermentation intensity softens and shapes into dark chocolate sweetness, layered with raisin, grape and rum. This coffee amplifies what Gayo can offer to the specialty coffee drinker, familiar in origin yet expressive in character.
