TIMOR LESTE - SAKOKO

Grown by over 800 smallholder farmers in the high Ermera mountains of Timor-Leste, “Sakoko” is a bright, fruit-forward micro-lot with notes of forest fruits, lychee, and watermelon, lifted by crisp green-apple acidity. It’s a coffee that celebrates connection, and the simple joy of sharing a summer picnic with friends (and a few cheeky ants).

COFFEE ORIGIN

Country:  Timor-Leste
Region: Ermera
Town: Sakoko
Mill: Railaco
Process: Natural 
Varietals: Catimor, Caturra, Typica 
Altitude: 1400 – 1800 masl

Only 725km north-west of Darwin, the island nation of Timor-Leste became the first new sovereign state of the new millennium upon gaining independence from Indonesia in 2002. The 23 years since has been marked by intensive efforts to build the economic, cultural, and political life on the islands.

Coffee has been key to this revitalisation, as it is the only cash crop grown in Timor Leste and the second largest commodity after oil. Coffee was initially introduced by the Portuguese in the 1800s, but a tumultuous history marked by neglect, violence and oppression from occupying forces means that there was no development of this industry until the 2000s.

Now, Timor-Leste is in a unique position, producing 100% organic coffee, and known for the Hibrido de Timor, a unique varietal which combines the quality of arabica with the hardiness of robusta. Half of Timor Leste’s coffee is produced in the region of Ermera, and this lot has been harvested from a cross between this native hybrid and the renowned Brazilian varietal Caturra, as well as some pure Caturra and Typica trees.  

TASTING NOTES & CUPPING PROFILE

Aromas: red berries, coffee cherry
Flavours:  watermelon, lychee, fruits of the forest
Acidity:  green apple
Body: syrupy 
Aftertaste: crisp apple 
Cupping Score: 86/100

Red berries and coffee cherries are the first things we picked up on as we ground our sample roast of Timor Leste Sakoko for tasting. These are common enough notes in a naturally processed coffee, so we held our expectations for the cup in check. Nothing could have prepared us for the flavours to come.

Fruits of the forest generally refers to any wild berries: small sweet blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries that ramble through European woods. It’s probably more familiar to Australian palates as a drink, lolly, or icecream flavour, and it’s those childhood treats we were thinking of as we sipped the Sakoko.

That intense sweetness is mixed with crisper flavours: watermelon and lychee, along with a green apple acidity that continues into the finish, a remarkably clean end to such a bright, juicy cup of coffee.

BREW GUIDE

Summer is here, let’s roll out the iced coffees!

For these we are working with a base of 60ml Timor Leste Sakoko made with an espresso machine or stovetop mokka pot, but you can try a short Aeropress extraction or prepare your own cold brew overnight.

Iced Coffee

BASE: 60ml Timor Leste Sakoko
BUILD:
•    chill the coffee shots in the fridge for a few minutes
•    add ice cream to your cup
•    top with cooled Timor Leste Sakoko  
•    fill with your milk of choice

OPTIONS: experiment with flavoured icecream: chocolate will create an almost Rocky Road type flavour 

Iced Long Black/Americano

BASE: 60ml Timor Leste Sakoko
BUILD:
•    add ice to the cup
•    fill two thirds of the way with cold filtered water
•    pour shots of Timor Leste Sakako on top                                                     

OPTIONS: try soda water for a sparkling iced americano

Iced Latte

BASE: 60ml Timor Leste Sakoko
BUILD:
•    add ice to the cup
•    fill two thirds of the way with cold milk of your choice
•    pour shots of Timor Leste Sakako on top

OPTIONS: if you’d like it sweeter, add sugar, honey or agave syrup to the shots before pouring them over the ice and milk