TIMOR

Organic Timor Leste (E)

September 7, 2026 0 comments

Discover our new
Organic Timor-Leste coffee

Sourced from smallholder farmers in the highlands of Ainaro. Fully washed and patio dried, this coffee showcases the rich, comforting character of Timor-Leste with notes of dark chocolate and cedar, supported by a full body and the distinctive character of high-elevation volcanic terroir.

AT A GLANCE

ORIGIN

Timor

VARIETAL

Hibrido de Timor • Typica • Catimor

REGION

Ermera District (also including Aileu and Ainaro highlands)

PROCESS

Fully Washed

PRODUCER

Cooperativa Café Timor (CCT)

ALTITUDE

1,200–1,800 meters

CERTIFICATION

USDA Organic

HARVEST

May–September

THE STORY BEHIND THIS COFFEE

This 100% USDA Organic coffee from Timor-Leste is produced by smallholder farming families in the country's Central Highlands, specifically around Maubisse in the Ainaro region. Rather than coming from a single estate, the lot represents the combined work of family-operated farms supported by cooperative infrastructure and farmer organizations.

Grown at approximately 1,600 meters above sea level, the coffee benefits from Timor-Leste's mountainous terrain, cool temperatures, seasonal rainfall, and mineral-rich clay-based soils. Farmers cultivate Timor Hybrid, Typica, and Catimor varieties, with coffee cherries carefully hand-harvested before being delivered for processing.

The coffee is fully washed and patio dried, producing a clean cup while maintaining the characteristic depth and body associated with Timorese coffee. The result is a distinctive profile centered on dark chocolate and cedar, reflecting the highland growing environment and traditional production practices of Timor-Leste.

GROWING CONDITIONS

ELEVATION

Approximately 1,600 m ASL The high-elevation environment encourages gradual cherry maturation and supports the development of depth and complexity.

CLIMATE

The Central Highlands experience cool temperatures and seasonal rainfall, creating favorable conditions for slow coffee cherry development.

SOIL

The mountainous growing areas feature mineral-rich, clay-based soils, providing a productive foundation for coffee cultivation.

SUSTAINABILITY

The coffee is 100% USDA Organic and comes from smallholder farming families supported through cooperative infrastructure. Farmers benefit from access to certification, agronomic support, processing facilities, quality control, and international markets.

VARIETAL – HIBRIDO DE TIMOR, TYPICA, CATIMOR

This lot brings together Timor Hybrid, Typica, and Catimor , varieties cultivated within Timor-Leste's highland coffee systems. The Timor Hybrid is particularly significant to the island's coffee history, having developed naturally from Arabica and Robusta genetics and becoming valued for its resilience.

Cultivated at approximately 1,600 meters and processed through a fully washed method, these varieties contribute to a cup with a rich body, balanced structure, and dark chocolate and cedar characteristics.

VARIETAL IN FOCUS

Timor Hybrid (HdT)

ORIGIN

A natural spontaneous hybrid of Coffea arabica × Coffea canephora (Robusta), discovered growing wild on the island of Timor around 1927.

CHARACTERISTICS

Not cultivated commercially for cup quality. The world's most important disease-resistance genetic donor — its Robusta genetics carry resistance to nearly all known races of coffee leaf rust and CBD. Parent of Catimor, Sarchimor, Castillo, Colombia, and many others.

CUP PROFILE

Harsh, bitter, and rubbery when consumed alone. Not used as a standalone specialty variety.

ROLE IN THIS LOT

Not used directly — foundational ancestor that passes disease resistance to offspring varieties in this lot.

Typica

ORIGIN

The original Arabica, spread from Ethiopia to Yemen and then worldwide.

CHARACTERISTICS

"Tall plant, low yield, highly susceptible to disease.

CUP PROFILE

Clean, sweet, and well-balanced with complex acidity and subtle fruit.

ROLE IN THIS LOT

Contributes elegant clarity and refined sweetness.

Catimor

ORIGIN

A Timor Hybrid × Caturra cross developed at the Coffee Research Centre (CIFC) in Oeiras, Portugal in 1959. Widely distributed across Asia, Central America, and Africa from the 1970s onward.

CHARACTERISTICS

Compact dwarf plant, very high yield, and strong resistance to coffee leaf rust (CLR) and coffee berry disease (CBD). Widely planted in Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and Central America due to low production costs and disease resilience.

CUP PROFILE

Variable depending on altitude and processing — can show earthy, woody, or rubbery undertones at low altitude; cleaner and more balanced at high altitude with careful processing.

ROLE IN THIS LOT

Provides productive volume and disease-resistant stability; cup quality is processing-dependent.

PROCESSING OVERVIEW

1. HARVEST

Handpicked at peak ripeness 1,400 MASL the best quality cherries.

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2. SORTING

Cherries are sorted to remove underripe or damaged ones.

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3. DRYING

Naturally dried on raised beds under the sun with regular turning.

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4. MILLING

Dried cherries are hulled to remove the outer layers and reveal the green bean.

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5. EXPORT

Carefully packed and prepared for its journey to roasters worldwide.

DRYING PROCESS

The Timor-Leste Fully Washed Coffee Drying Process

1

PATIO DRYING

After pulping, fermentation, and washing, the coffee is spread on drying patios to begin reducing moisture naturally.

2

EVEN DRYING

The washed coffee is carefully managed during drying to promote consistent airflow and gradual moisture reduction, helping preserve cup quality.

3

OPTIMAL MOISTURE

Drying continues until the coffee reaches a stable moisture level suitable for storage and export, helping maintain its clean profile and dark chocolate and cedar characteristics.

This natural process highlights the inherent sweetness and body of the coffee, resulting in a cup with vibrant fruit notes, smooth mouthfeel, and lasting finish.

IN THE CUP

TASTING NOTES

Dark Chocolate

Cedar

BODY

Above Average

ACIDITY

Low

SWEETNESS

Above Average

WHY WE SELECTED THIS LOT

Why We Selected Lot 1278

We selected this coffee because it represents the collective work of Timor-Leste's smallholder coffee families and the cooperative systems that connect them with processing resources, certification, quality improvement, and international markets. Its USDA Organic certification and highland origin reflect a production system rooted in traditional farming and responsible cultivation.

The lot's 1,600-meter elevation, Timor Hybrid, Typica, and Catimor varieties, and fully washed processing create a distinctive cup with a rich body and specific notes of dark chocolate and cedar. Patio drying further supports the clean character of the washed coffee.

For Artizan Coffee, this coffee offers a direct expression of Timor-Leste's highland coffee heritage. It connects the work of smallholder farming families with a distinctive regional identity, responsible production, and a cup profile that showcases the depth and character of coffee from the Central Highlands.

FAQs

Everything you need to know.

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