AGAINST THE ODDS - BLACK HONEY - ARABICA SELECTION 9 - INDIA

TAITH
LEWES, ENGLAND

AGAINST THE ODDS - BLACK HONEY - ARABICA SELECTION 9

PISTACHIO
WARM SPICES
BUTTER COOKIES

PRODUCER: THAMARLA RAMANNA
ORIGIN: INDIA
PROCESS: BLACK HONEY
VARIETAL: ARABICA SELECTION 9
ALTITUDE: 1090 MASL

ROAST DATE: FEBRUARY 8, 2026

FROM THE ROASTER

FARM

SURROUNDED BY LUSH HILLS OF ARAKU, THAMARLA RAMANNA HAD A LONG JOURNEY. HIS COFFEE FARM WAS MISMANAGED, WITH TALL COFFEE BUSHES, POOR YIELD, AND DENSE WEEDS BEFORE JOINING NAANDI AND LEARNING ABOUT REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND BEST PRACTICES IN COFFEE MANAGEMENT. FUELLED BY PASSION AND DETERMINATION TO IMPROVE HIS COFFEE PLOT, HE ROLLED UP HIS SLEEVES AND DUG IN, PRUNING TO MAINTAIN OPTIMAL HEIGHT AND CLEARING WEEDS THAT PRESENTED THEMSELVES AS COMPETITION AFFECTING THE COFFEE BUSHES’ GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE DIFFERENCE WAS PHENOMENAL—JUICIER AND BIGGER CHERRIES, AN IMPROVED YIELD, GREENER COFFEE BUSHES, AND RICHER SOIL QUALITY. THE TRUE REWARD CAME AS HE OBSERVED EACH COFFEE SAPLING MATURE. “COFFEE SAPLINGS ARE LIKE CHILDREN TO ME,” HE REFLECTED.

PROCESS

THIS METHOD INVOLVES REMOVING THE COFFEE CHERRY’S SKIN WHILE LEAVING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MUCILAGE KNOWN AS “HONEY” ON THE BEAN. IN BLACK HONEY PROCESSING, NEARLY ALL OF THE MUCILAGE IS LEFT INTACT, AND THE BEANS ARE DRIED SLOWLY IN SHADED CONDITIONS, OFTEN OVER TWO TO THREE WEEKS. THIS SLOWER DRYING TIME INTENSIFIES THE COFFEE’S SWEETNESS AND BODY, PRODUCING A CUP WITH A RICH, SYRUPY TEXTURE AND NOTES OF DARK FRUIT, CHOCOLATE, AND SPICE. THE NAME “BLACK” REFERS TO THE DARK COLOR THE BEANS DEVELOP DURING DRYING, NOT THE FLAVOR OR ROAST LEVEL. BECAUSE THE BEANS REQUIRE FREQUENT TURNING AND CLOSE MONITORING TO AVOID OVER-FERMENTATION OR MOLD, BLACK HONEY PROCESSING DEMANDS SKILL AND ATTENTION, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX AND REWARDING COFFEE METHODS FOR PRODUCERS AND DRINKERS ALIKE.