India - Balmaadi Estate
By Portola
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| Price: | $11.95 |
| Availability: | In Stock |
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* Choose Whole Bean or Grind Level:To prolong freshness and maximize taste and aroma, we suggest whole bean. But, we can certainly grind it for you if you wish.
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Short Description:
Balmaadi Estate coffee has won the Fine Cup Award in India not once, but twice. It is also a biodynamic coffee which is a really amazing way of growing coffee. It has loads of flavor and a nice full body. We recently had the pleasure to spend some time with Unnamalai Thiagarajan, the farm owner and her wonderful daughter Rukmini. Both are special people and we will surely have a relationship with their family and farm for years to come.
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To buy, select Choose Whole Bean or Grind Level
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Coffee Details
- REGION: India
- LOCATION: Nilgiris
- MICRO-LOCATION: O'Valley
- FARM: Balmaadi Estate
- ELEVATION: 4000 - 6000 feet
- VARIETY: Kent and Selection 795
- PROCESSING METHOD: Washed
- GRADE: Strictly Hard Bean
- HARVEST: November to January
- CERTIFICATIONS: Organic, Biodynamic
- ROAST LEVEL: Medium
- CHARACTERISTICS: Rich and full body, sweet spiciness, chocolate, almond, hint of citrus
Farm Information
Balmaadi estate is situated in the Nilgiris district of the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is part of the O’Valley group of plantations that were developed over 150 years ago by an enterprising Scotsman, John Ouchterloney. Home to the mysterious Toda tribes (many say they are a lost Greek regiment of Alexander The Great). It is today a hill resort of repute.
At Balmaadi they grow coffee at an elevation of 4000 – 6000 ft above sea level. Their coffee grows at altitudes far above other coffees. The bushes grow under the natural shade of the native ‘shola’ trees and others such as jack , ficus, albizzia, African neem and cedars. After sundown, the estate is a sanctuary for the wild animals and they limit their activities, as to not disturb them.
A valley, so full of life, so untouched by the rough hands of man, needed to be protected from the ravages of chemicals and harsh modernization. To them the solution was self evident – adopt the least intrusive agricultural practices. To this end, those at Balmaadi practice a mix of ancient Vedic methods coupled with the Bio-dynamic methods advocated by Rudolf Steiner.
Come November and it is harvest time at Balmaadi. The ‘Just Ripe’ berries are hand picked, pulped, fermented, washed and sun dried on tables. At no stage in the processing are chemicals used. The slow dried parchment is packed in clean, vegetable-based jute bags and stored at an ambient temperature awaiting further processing into clean coffee. Balmaadi is a small producer of niche, superior quality, high altitude Arabica coffee. Stringent standards of excellence as set by Coffeelab, Bangalore and IMO, Switzerland are our benchmarks. They are proud of their coffee and vouch for its excellence in quality. Everyone at Balmaadi is trained in organic methods. They recognize its significance as compared to modern practices and appreciate the value it adds to the quality of their life.
Many, marvel at the rich humus content of the soil, but they realize that they have miles to go before they achieve their goal. A feather in their cap at this early stage, is being awarded the Flavour Of India, Fine Cup Award, 2004 and 2007, for India’s best Arabica coffee and also the best Arabica coffee in the Nilgiris region. The journey towards a truly self-sustaining biosphere is a celebration of nature at its best.
Balmaadi Estate is located in the Nilgiris district of Tamilnadu, about 50 kms from the hill resort Ooty. It is nestled in the verdant O’valley criss-crossed by numerous mountain streams. These streams, which are the source of life in the valley, give the estate its name. Blamaadi is the anglicized form of the Tamil word ‘Palmaadi’, meaning the udder of the cow.
Net Weight
12 ounces
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