Bali Kintamani

LIGHTER ROAST | Ripe Berries | Plum | Tangy | Nutmeg

We brought back this coffee for the first time in years due to the quality of this new crop. We taste ripe berries like strawberry, followed by plum with hints of baking spices like nutmeg. This coffee has a lightly sweet, lingering finish. It’s a natural processed coffee but not fermenty tasting at all — so it has some really nice characteristics similar to honey-processed coffees.

Location: Kintamani Highlands

Varietal: Bourbon, Typica

Elevation: 1300-1700 meters

Process: Natural

About the coffee Born from volcanic soil and shaped by resilience, Bali’s coffee story began anew after the 1963 eruption of Mount Agung. Government-led revitalization efforts in the 1970s and 1980s reignited coffee cultivation across the island, distributing seedlings to local farmers and laying the foundation for today’s flourishing industry. Bali now boasts approximately 7,500 hectares of coffee farms dedicated to quality and tradition.

At the heart of this production lies the Kintamani highlands, a dramatic volcanic plateau rising between 1,300 and 1,700 meters above sea level. Here, cool mountain air and mineral-rich soils produce exceptional coffees dominated by Bourbon and Typica varieties. Shade-grown beneath Erythrina, Albizia, tangerine, and orange trees, each harvest reflects depth, balance, and terroir-driven complexity.

Sustainability is not a trend in Bali—it is a principle. Pesticides are strictly prohibited, and all fertilizers are 100% organic, preserving both land and flavor integrity. Coffee cultivation is stewarded through the Subak Abian system, an ancient cooperative structure rooted in harmony and collective care. Thirteen Subak Abians currently oversee coffee growing and processing, ensuring consistency, craftsmanship, and community impact.

Sourced from the Kintamani Highlands, this Bali Kintamani offering from Magnolia Coffee showcases the distinct character of the region’s high-altitude cultivation. The coffee is comprised of the Bourbon varietal, a plant historically celebrated for its balanced sweetness and complex profile. By utilizing a natural process, the producers allow the coffee cherry to dry intact around the bean, a technique that often imparts a heavier body and pronounced fruit-forward characteristics to the final cup.

In this specific lot, those traditional processing influences manifest as notes of ripe berries and plum, complemented by a tangy acidity and a warm, spicy finish of nutmeg. For those looking to better understand how these specific descriptors align with broader industry standards, the flavor wheel serves as a helpful tool for identifying and categorizing these nuanced sensory experiences. This selection highlights the unique intersection of Indonesian terroir and careful post-harvest handling.