Regions and Coffees of Note for Single Origin Coffees in Indonesia: Sulawesi
The long, oddly-shaped island of Sulawesi features a number of peninsulas that jut out into the sea – it’s no wonder that the island is also host to a number of coffee origins that can be listed here. The variety of coffee from Sulawesi is some of the best that you’ll find in Indonesia; in fact, with so many islands in Indonesia, it’s hard to believe that so many of the varieties can come from just one of the islands. However, because Sulawesi is a stand-alone island, many people will simply lump coffees from this island together when referring to a single origin. There’s no right or wrong answer as to how to categorize it, but we believe it’s worth exploring the individual cultivations of Sulawesi coffee.
Tana Toraja: Also known as just Toraja or Sulawesi Toraja, this is a coffee grown in the high southeastern portions of Sulawesi. Considered to be more “earthy” than Java coffee, this is a generally assertive coffee that actually has very little acidity compared to its acidflavors.
- Bean description: Less body than many Sumatra coffees but more assertive in other ways, such as the richness of its earthy flavors and the boldness of its acid content, which is actually surprisingly low considering the flavor.
Kalosi: Also spelled “Kalossi,” this specific area of Sulawesi coffee comes from south of the Toraja region. Kalosi is actually the capital of the Enkerang region, but the specialty coffee in the region is known as Kalosi because of the strength of the coffee that is produced there.
- Bean description: Much of the earthiness of the Tana Toraja bean is present here, but it’s not hard to see why so many specialty coffee drinkers enjoy Kalosi for its assertiveness in other areas. It has a distinct flavor and good body content that makes it a smooth, enjoyable cup.
