Sumatra Mandheling — the character of wet-hulling
The Mandheling country of Aceh in northern Sumatra is the home of the world-famous name. Here coffee goes through the island’s own process — "giling basah," wet-hulling — in which beans are hulled while still semi-dry right after de-pulping, then re-dried for export in a moist state. The method yields that distinctive "earthy" register — soil, forest floor, woody notes — and a full-bodied, low-acid, weighty cup. It has long been beloved in Japan, where depth and sweetness are prized.