PAPUA NEW GUINEA KUTA RIDGE PEABERRY
Tasting Notes
A distinctive expression of Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands, with vibrant red berry and red grape character supported by a generous foundation of toffee sweetness. The fruit is lively and well-defined, bringing a pleasing brightness that contrasts with the deeper caramelized notes. A rounded, supple texture carries the flavors through a balanced finish, where lingering fruit and soft confectionery sweetness lend the cup an appealing sense of harmony.
Origin & Stewardship
High in Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands, the Kuta Ridge rises above the fertile Waghi Valley, where smallholder farmers cultivate coffee in rich volcanic soils at elevations approaching 1,600 meters. The region's mountainous terrain, abundant rainfall and temperate highland climate provide an exceptional environment for Arabica varieties, including Bourbon, Typica, Arusha and Blue Mountain.
The coffee is grown across numerous small family plantations and brought together at Kuta Mill, a processing facility with an unusual story of cooperation. The mill operates alongside a collaboration between the Ulga and Kolga tribes, communities with a history of traditional rivalry that have found common ground through coffee cultivation.
Farmers delivering consistently high-quality cherries receive additional payments, encouraging careful harvesting and attention to quality. After processing, the coffee is sorted to separate the distinctive peaberry beans, which develop as a single rounded seed within the coffee cherry rather than the usual pair of flat-sided seeds.
The result reflects both the character of the Waghi Valley and the collective work of the families who farm its hillsides—a coffee with a remarkable sense of place and a story that extends well beyond the cup.
Estate DetailsCountry: Papua New Guinea
Region: Kuta Ridge, Waghi Valley, Western Highlands
Producers: Smallholder farmers of the Ulga and Kolga communities
Elevation: Approximately 1,550–1,585 MASL
Processing: Washed
Cultivars: Arusha, Blue Mountain, Bourbon, Typica
Grade: Peaberry
