“If anyone knows how best to reinvent robusta,” writes Alina Simone in The Atlantic, “it would be the coffee farmers, roasters, and brewers who have provided the world with the bulk of it for decades, and whose domestic customers have never stopped enjoying it.” If Arabicas are like fine vermouth, this Robusta is a smoky scotch. Kerehaklu Estate, located in Chikmagalur, India, is run by Ajoy and Pranoy Thipaiah, a father and son team. The 97-hectare farm has a unique charm, blending a sense of timelessness with cutting-edge practices. Unlike the coffee fields found in much of the producing world, where clear-cutting of forest for high productivity has become the norm, the coffee plants at Kerehaklu grow within dense, old-growth jungle, with tall Coffea Liberica plants scattered throughout the hedgerows. Stepping into the coffee processing area, however, there is no mistaking the modern approach taken by Pranoy, who applies his undergraduate biology degree to push the boundaries of coffee processing and potential under the microscope. Pranoy’s father, Ajoy, has encyclopedic knowledge when it comes to agronomy and agriculture - always looking to work in harmony with the local biodiversity. His 35 years of experience at Kerehaklu has helped to mold how they approach not just coffee but life in this quiet nook of India. Nearly all of the coffee processed at Kerehaklu is done so in anoxic fermentation conditions. Careful experimentation and precise note-taking have been the name of the game for Pranoy the past four seasons. The quality of the coffee produced this year was incredibly encouraging, with the washed and honey lots being simultaneously representative of Indian terroir/genetics and yet complex in a way that traditional washed coffees from the same area are not capable of being. We are honored to present these exceptional lots from Kerehaklu Estate.