China Xiao Bai Zhi | Mangshi Dehong | Ethiopian Heirloom

ROAST:  Filter Roast Only

PROCESS: Washed

REGION:  Mangshi Dehong

ELEVATION: 1600m

VARIETAL: Ethiopian Heirloom

CUP:  Floral, White Nectarine, Nashi pear, Green tea

This coffee is a wonderful showcase of how vastly different coffee is across China. It comes from the Jura Manor Estate located in Mangshi,  Dehong prefecture. The Little Gardenia farm is approximately 26 hectares and is owned and operated by Mr. Tang, sitting at an elevation of 1600 metres above sea level.  

In 2019, driven by passion and curiosity, Mr. Tang introduced an Ethiopian Heirloom varietal to his Jura Manor with the goal of bringing out the most pure expression of this coffee with the Dehong terrior. His estate primarily focuses on sachimor, but also cultivates a small selection of others including gesha, yellow catimor and batian. 

The coffee is processed in a traditional washed style. This is to say that only the ripest cherries are carefully selected. They are depulped and soaked in tanks for 48 hours to breakdown their mucilage. They are washed and then placed on drying beds in the sun before being shifted to beds in the shade to dry over 15 days. Mr. Tang only produces approximately 200kg of this coffee each year. He also shares his processing knowledge with the 36 neighbouring coffee farmers in the region.

We are fortunate enough to have encountered this coffee through our origin partner Project One Light (POL) and are proud to champion coffees from China,  especially when they are as exciting and innovative as this! POL is partnered with the Yunnan Agricultural University that provides Mr. Tang and those 36 other neighbouring farms in Dehong access to technical equipment such as fermentation tanks and brix meters, helping them optimise their harvests. This is an evolving region rapidly in the process of finding its identity in the market. Currently it is known for coffees with heavier processing and intense fruit or tea flavours, but this provides a beautiful counter example. 

In the cup we have been finding Green tea,  White nectarine, Nashi pear and Florals. We encourage you to test your friends with a blind cupping or brewing and ask them for the origin of this one!