Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, with more than 17,500 islands. Among these, only the largest islands have the altitudes needed for Arabica coffee production. From West to East, these are Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Flores and Papua. Connoisseurs regard coffee from these regions as some of the most flavorful in the world.
One of SCAI’s goals is to develop the concept of “terroir” for Indonesian’s specialty coffees. This French term translates loosely as “a sense of place”, and is applied to wine or other products, grown in a specific region. Click on the Arabica producing regions in the map below to find out more about the terroir of each area. You will also find links to SCAI members and descriptions of the coffee they sell.
Many of Indonesia’s Arabica producing regions are wild and remote places, home to some of the world’s rarest and most beautiful plants and animals. Orangutans, rhinos and tigers live in the forests of Sumatra, while Birds of Paradise can be found in the trees that shade Papua’s coffee. More than 4,000 species of orchids are found on the coffee producing islands. Because much of Indonesia’s specialty coffee is grown in the shade of tropical hardwoods, farmers protect the natural eco-system.
