The Mountain Top plantation is probably the most unusual plantation in the world. Situated far south from the tropics in Nimbin NSW, Australia, most people would say it is impossible to grow coffee this part of the world. Mr. Andrew Ford proved everyone wrong, and found a beautiful landscape at 350 meters above sealevel where the climate is similar to 1200 m.a.s. in the sub tropical areas.

There is little doubt that the coffee from Mountain top has potential. Tim Wendelboe used this coffee as a single estate espresso in his award winning signature drink “Tiramisu alla Tim” when he won the 2004 World Barista Championship in Trieste.

We have tasted the coffee from Mountain Top every year since 2004, but it has never been as good as it was in 04 up until this year where it really tastes fantastic. According to Andrew Ford it is much because of the cool climate that occured this season with temperatures close to the freezing point at night followed by mild days. The trees have also been stressed and the yield as little as 250g per tree. This has lead to a coffee with great consentration of flavour with a rich and full body. We were not the only ones that liked the Mountain Top coffee this year, so we could only get our hands on 100 kilos.

For more info, please visit the Mountain Top Coffee website.

Producer: Mr. Andrew Ford,  Mr. Peter Webb & Mr. Ray Simula.
Harvest: November 2008. The harvest was late compared to other seasons and the cherries were picked when they were purple in colour (almost overripe) and the sugar level was very high (brix 22-24)
Origin: Nimbin, NSW, Australia.
Growing conditions: 350 m.a.s. 28° south.
Farm size: 30 hectars with coffee.
Botanical variety: K7 a single tree selection from French mission trees in Kenya.
Process: Semi washed. The coffee is pulped, rinsed with water and dried in thin layers on cement patio. The coffee was vacuum packed prior to shipping.

Taste description:
Aroma: Intense smells of  cocoa, plums and purple fleshy cherries.
Acidity: Cool and sweet acidity.
Mouthfeel: Consentrated and creamy texture. Intense sweet finish.
Flavour: A very rich and consentrated coffee with flavours of dark chocolate, plums and blueberry juice. Some hints of violets.

Here are some pictures from the farm: