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c Origin

When I came to Asia, I heard those terms used
much more frequently. The Korean-born coffee training
expert, Miran Oh, a head trainer for the Coffee Quality
Institue and owner of Healing Coffee in Los Angeles,
California, helped me understand this. Although Oh agrees
that terms like mango and papaya are still positive notes
in Asia, she says they don’t carry the same level of “elite”
and “exotic” connotations that Westerners associate them
with. A nice 84 point coffee can have hints of mango.
Whereas if I told a Western cupper that I picked up
mango in an 84 point coffee, he might say “Let’s not go
crazy, Daniel!”

Preference… or Error?

Sanguankeaw of Roots, Bangkok, also notes a marked Nevertheless, I’ve also seen too much tolerance to
preference for natural coffees, versus washed coffees, certain flavors, especially among cities with new and fast-
among Thai coffee people, something I have noticed as a developing coffee scenes, such as Singapore, Shanghai,
larger trend in Asia as a whole. and Beijing. Old, past-crop coffees that are frankly woody
Among Western and especially old-school Latin and stale, get passed off as “tea-like” or “herbal” (or even
American cuppers, there exists what might be called a “ooh-long”!) That might work with unsophisticated
prejudice against natural coffees. Or to put it more charitably, customers, but as the status of the coffee industry in
a preference for the clear, clean, and bright flavors of high- these cities increases, these kinds of mistakes will be in-
quality washed coffees. Although, of course, many Asians excusable and embarrassing. That’s not “local preference,”
love great washed coffees, too, on average, there is more that’s just an error.
demand for the full, earthy and fruity flavors of naturals. It’s an exciting time for coffee in Asia. Things are
Last year I purchased a coffee from Yunnan that growing at an astonishing speed. All the local prefer-
would have been considered completely defective by a ences and terms make for a rich experience, both for
cupper from, say, El Salvador. It had an intense, sharp, professionals and for customers. There is also now a
winey acidity. Some cuppers identified it as over-ferment- place for people who have cross-cultural understanding,
ed, even borderline phenolic. Other cuppers — especially who can communicate back and forth between the
Asian ones — found it delightful and scored it in the very various “worlds” of coffee, from East to West, and es-
high 80s. I purchased the coffee (and almost immediately pecially to the producers in origin countries. Everyone
sold out), because I realize it’s not my role to tell people benefits from this process, and the quality of coffee
their preferences. delivered only improves as a result.

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