INDONESIA Pantan Musara – Espresso

The Asman Gayo Mill is located in the Pegasing district of Takengon, in the highlands of Aceh in northern Sumatra. Operated by Asman Arianto, a regional Cup of Excellence winner, the mill buys cherries from neighboring small producers in the Pantan Musara villages. These farmers resettled here after a natural disaster forced the original community to relocate, establishing new farms in the high volcanic terrain of the Barisan Mountains.

Unlike most of Sumatra, where wet hulling dominates due to humidity and limited drying infrastructure, the Asman Gayo Mill produces washed coffees. This method is uncommon in the region because of the persistent cloud cover and the difficulty of sun drying parchment to stable moisture levels. Cherries are delivered whole, depulped, and fermented for up to thirty-six hours in open tanks before being washed and moved to raised beds, parabolic dryers, or tarpaulins, depending on weather.

This washed approach allows a clearer expression of the region's environment and varieties than the traditional wet hulled profile. In the cup: Baked apple, praline, dried lime, and purple grape.

Pantan Musara sits along the broader volcanic system that includes Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in the world. Volcanic soils, rainforest canopy cover, and cool high altitude air create a stable environment for slow cherry maturation. Most farms are around one hectare, and many are managed by women, reflecting the structure of the local agricultural economy.

Composed of Ateng, Bor Bor, Catimor, and Timor varieties, this lot reflects both the agricultural history of Aceh and the specific growing conditions of the highlands. In an area where blending across many farms is the norm, this mill-specific washed lot offers higher separation and clearer traceability.

For us, it is a precise interpretation of Aceh’s highland terroir through a process rarely used in the region. It shows what becomes possible when washed processing is carried out carefully in a climate that challenges it, offering a clean and structured view of a landscape more often associated with heavier, wet-hulled coffees.