MONTHLY SPECIAL - INDIA, RATNAGIRI ESTATE

Every month, our resident Q Grader and third-generation Wogan, James, searches the world to find a coffee that is ‘weird and wonderful’, and truly excites. A micro-lot, a great back-story, an impressive cooperative, or a particularly unusual taste; once it's gone, it's gone.

We keep the prices of these extraordinary coffees down, so that you have the chance to try something that you might not be able to get your hands on otherwise. 

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This delicious Indian coffee comes from the Ratnagiri Estate, grown by third-generation farmer Ashok Patre in the southern region of Baba Budangiri in the Western Ghats. 

Named after the person who first brought coffee to India, Baba Budan, Baba Budangiri is a hilly region within Chikkamagaluru, now famous for its exceptional coffee production.

Producer Spotlight: Ashok Patre

Ashok is a very forward-thinking coffee farmer, who's travelled widely, bringing back ideas with him to improve production on the farm. For example, Brix measurements are taken prior to picking cherries, which is essentially a sugar-content reading, allowing farmers to know exactly when the cherries are perfectly ripe. Alongside this delicious washed process, the farm also runs naturals, honeys, and many fermentation experiments (we actually had their natural lot a few years ago as another Special!).

The estate is farmed organically in all but name - quarterly soil tests, organic corrections applied to the soil, and ionic seawater and seaweed extract used to build plant immunity and push the sugar levels in the fruit.

Grown under three storeys of shade, the farm is also home to a huge range of wildlife. Over 48 bird species have been recorded there, along with monkeys, leopards, wild boar, tigers, mongoose and, occasionally, elephants. All in all, it's quite simply one of the best estates in India.