Here at Quantum Coffee Roastere we’re always chasing coffees that have a story to tell and our Sulawesi beans deliver just that - history, culture, craft and community.
The cup
☕ Tasting Notes: Juicy and citric with notes of rosehip and grapefruit. Intense yet creamy body with a hint of spiciness.
📍 Origin: Kalossi, Toraja
🧼 Process: Wet-hulled
🌱 Altitude: 1100-1800 masl.
🌾 Varietal: Typica, S795, Kartika
🏅Grading: Gr. 1
=> Grab a bag here <=
or pop into one of our Cardiff shops to pick one up off the shelf
From the Highlands of Sulawesi
Sulawesi, previously known as Celebes, is one of Indonesia’s four Greater Sunda Islands, alongside Sumatra, Java, and Borneo (along with the other 17 thousand Indonesian islands). Shaped like a wild orchid stretching into the sea, the island is home to mountains, iron-rich lakes and volcanic soils - the perfect environment for growing exceptional coffee.
Coffee has been part of Indonesia’s story for over 300 years, first introduced under Dutch colonial rule. By the mid-1800s, Arabica plants made their way to Sulawesi’s highlands. And they thrived.
Around 90% of Indonesia’s coffee is grown by smallholders, often on farms averaging just one hectare. Across the country, millions of families depend on coffee cultivation. It’s personal, generational and deeply tied to identity.
The Heart of It: Toraja
Our lot comes from the Toraja region in the highlands of Sulawesi - one of the island’s most revered coffee-growing areas.
“Toraja” translates to “people of the upland,” referring to the Indigenous communities who live in the region. The Toraja people have maintained a distinct cultural identity for centuries, expressed through their language, rituals, and also the iconic tongkonan houses - boat-shaped houses decorated with intricate wood carvings that reflect a complex philosophy of life.
=> Grab a bag here <=
or pop into one of our Cardiff shops to pick one up off the shelf
Coffee here is grown in small home gardens, often tended by families who have cultivated these lands for generations. Production is largely manual — from picking to processing — preserving a slower, more intentional rhythm.
The Arabica varieties grown here, including Typica, S795, and Kartika, are prized for quality rather than yield. What they “lack” in volume, they make up for in quality and taste.
The Processing - Giling Basah (Wet-Hulled)
Indonesia is famous for a distinctive processing method known as Giling Basah, also known as wet-hulling - a technique widely associated with coffees from Sumatra but also used in parts of Sulawesi.
Wet-hulling involves removing the parchment layer of the coffee bean at a higher moisture content than fully washed methods which results in a fuller body and lower acidity, tasting notes often described as earthy, spicy, and complex.
Coffee With A Soul
Sulawesi coffee has long been considered one of Indonesia’s finest expressions — smooth, creamy, rich-bodied, with a vibrant sparkle and caramel sweetness that lingers.
But beyond the flavour profile, what we love most is the sense of place in every cup.
This coffee is bathed in history, craftsmanship and resilience of the Toraja people.
=> Grab a bag here <=
or pop into one of our Cardiff shops to pick one up off the shelf
