Timor Leste
Timor Leste is the independent nation occupying the eastern half of the island of Timor, with the western portion being a part of Indonesia. Before independence was declared from Portugal in 1975, East Timor was producing coffee and sandalwood as its chief exports. But during the ensuing struggles and war with Indonesian occupiers, coffee farmers and coffee production suffered greatly.
Timor Leste coffees are generally wet-processed, and have moderate acidity, a balanced cup, and decent body. Mixed varieties of coffee, especially with the Timor Hybrid (a spontaneous cross of arabica and robusta), can introduce some herbal or wood notes in the cup. But increased attention to coffee cultivars and improvements in harvest and processing are raising the quality of Timor coffee in recent years. You can read more about the way we source Timor green coffee and link to our videos and travelogues on our Timor Leste Coffee Library page.