Papua New Guinea: Coffee from the most mysterious country in the world

High altitude, ideal climate and organic farming compose a truly special coffee.

Papua New Guinea is an island nation in Oceania, extending to the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and to the island of Melanesia, in northern Australia. After a century under the rule of third countries, the country became independent only in 1975, but belonging to the British Commonwealth. It is one of the most multicultural countries in the world (there are 851 languages ​​on the island of which 11 are widely used) and the most rural, with only 13% of the population living in cities. It is a country largely unexplored, as scientists believe that in its forests are hidden not only unknown species of flora and fauna, but possibly also indigenous tribes without contact with the modern world.

This mysterious and exotic country, however, belongs to the "Coffee Zone" and in fact, produces excellent Arabica coffee, which it is possible that we have tried, without perhaps knowing it. Let's get to know Papua coffee better!

Brief history of coffee in Papua New Guinea

Although many argue that the first coffee trees arrived in Papua New Guinea in the late 19th century, most agree that systematic cultivation began in the late 1920s, with Jamaica Blue Mountain roots coming from the Caribbean. As there was no colonial past in the country, most plantations were (and still are) small in size, and the producers independent. The course of coffee cultivation in Papua New Guinea has been volatile, with periods of intense prosperity and decline, and was generally easily influenced by all international actors in the coffee industry (rising prices, good or bad crops in large countries and especially in Brazil). , coffee fungus etc.). In recent years, producers have emphasized quality, production has stabilized and at the same time most plantations now follow standards of sustainable development and good cultivation.

Today, coffee is Papua New Guinea's second major export, and a sector of the economy that employs about 2.5 million Papuans, and the country is among the 20 largest coffee producing countries in the world. The cultivation takes place both in the east and in the west of the country, on plateaus with extremely high altitudes. 95% of Papuan coffee production is Arabica, while at lower altitudes Robusta is also grown, mainly for domestic consumption.



What does Papua New Guinea coffee taste like?

Arabica beans from Papua New Guinea are famous for their rich body, almost "syrupy" mouthfeel and earthy character. Notes of spice, herbs and earth are the most common flavor palette for Papua New Guinea coffee, while the fruity character is not unusual. As the island's coffees are cultivated at extremely high altitudes and are usually processed by the "wet" method, they are usually characterized by intense, lively and pleasant acidity. Also, although few cafes on the island are organically certified, most small crops do not use insecticides and fertilizers, both because of their high price for local farmers and because of the isolated nature of the plantations, which has a direct impact on taste and quality of coffee.

Papua coffee is widely used in espresso blends, as it is ideal for blendings - after all, there are many large coffee companies that buy large quantities of coffee from the island every year for their blends. However, its taste and aroma are so special, that it is an excellent choice for single-origin coffees, both as espresso and in filter extracts.

Two delicious espresso proposals with Papua - New Guinea aroma!

Paradiso Papua Nova Guinea AA Sigri 250g: Single-origin, 100% washed Arabica  from high altitude farms in Papua New Guinea. The grains come from plantations at an altitude of 5000 meters, which are managed by indigenous communities. In the mouth, coffee is characterized by a rich body, a balance between sweetness and lively acidity and a taste that is full of notes of licorice and cereals, with a long aftertaste.

Buondi Gold 1000g : Buondi's popular espresso blend combines the high sweetness of Brazilian coffee with the unique fruity characteristics of Papua New Guinea coffee, the rich Costa Rica coffee body, and the robustness of Indian coffee. Definitely a delightfully tasty quest in the four corners of the horizon.

Coffee is truly magical - with one sip, you can find yourself in one of the strangest and most exotic countries in the world.