Stoked to bring you this season’s finest from East Timor (Timor-Leste). After 6 years of working with Karst Organics, this is always a favourite time for the team.

Timor-Leste is a young nation with a long, complex history. After centuries of colonisation and occupation, the country regained independence in 2002 and is now rebuilding its place in the world. Coffee has played a central role in that journey — and today, farmers are working to restore their coffee forests and establish Timor-Leste as an exciting speciality coffee origin.

Coffee here is grown organically beneath native shade trees using traditional methods passed down through generations. With little industrial development, natural fertilisers and careful farming practices remain the norm, creating coffees that are both environmentally sustainable and full of character in the cup.

The Rotutu Cooperative in Letefoho is part of this new chapter. Since 2017, farmers have worked in partnership with Karst to improve quality and secure better prices through a cherry purchasing model that rewards careful picking and consistency. The result is stronger incomes for farmers and a clearer path forward for the community.

While Timor-Leste is traditionally known for washed coffees, the growth of speciality coffee is creating space for new processing methods, including natural lots like this one. Produced for the fifth year with the same 16 Rotutu farmers, this coffee reflects a long-term partnership built on trust, quality, and consistently paying above local market prices. Carefully fermented and slowly dried, extended drying times this year only added to its depth and character. The result is a vibrant, fruit-forward coffee with tropical vibe — proof that good things take time.