Honey King | Manxieba Village, Yunnan | Marty Pollack
Honey King | Manxieba Village, Yunnan | Marty Pollack
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Origin: Manxieba Village, Pu'er, Yunnan, China
Producer: Marty Pollack
Process: Honey
Variety: Catimor
Tasting Notes: Fruit Wine, Baking Spices, Black Rasin, Dragon Fruit
Honey King is a standout coffee from the Yunnan Province in China, celebrated for its fermented honey process, enhancing its flavor profile's sweetness and complexity. The honey process involves removing the coffee cherry's skin but leaving the sticky mucilage (or "honey") on the beans during drying. This method creates a rich, syrupy sweetness with pronounced fruity notes.
The process begins by carefully selecting ripe coffee cherries. After pulping, the beans are subjected to a controlled fermentation process, which intensifies the coffee's fruity and floral characteristics. Fermentation is a delicate stage, as it influences the depth and complexity of flavors. Once the desired fermentation is achieved, the beans are dried with the mucilage still present. The coffee is dried on raised beds, allowing for even airflow. The coffee is carefully monitored to ensure the beans dry to the optimal moisture level.
Honey King is a coffee that is both sweet and vibrant, with layers of fruitiness and a smooth, velvety body. The unique processing method highlights the potential of Yunnan coffee, offering a distinctive flavor profile that stands out.
From the importer: "This selection’s name is a bit of an inside joke because bee hives aren’t run by a king! A decade ago, Torch founder Marty Pollock was stung by fascination with the honey (or pulped natural) process in Yunnan. Ten years of collaboration and mutual learning (as well as more than 500 tons of red honey coffee) have led to this coffee and a bit of a silly title for Marty that pokes fun at the sometimes pompous nature of specialty coffee. Delicious to the extreme, YHK has the potential to change your perspective about Yunnan coffee and serves as a reminder that true coffee royalty begins and ends with farmers."
