Chichang, Washed Catimor

China — Gong Yi Jia Catimor

Tastes Like — 🍵 Pu'er Tea • 🫐 Goji Berry • 🍏 Granny Smith Apple

DETAILS

• Producer: Gong Yi Jia
• Farm: Chichang
• Region: Menglian, Yunnan, China
• Varietal: Catimor
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1800 masl
• Size: 227g

INTRO — Specialty Coffee from China's Tea Country

Yunnan province is legendary for tea—particularly Pu'er, the fermented tea that shares its name with a major city in the region. But Yunnan is also producing increasingly impressive specialty coffee, and Gong Yi Jia's washed Catimor from Chichang exemplifies the potential. This lot delivers distinctively Chinese character: Pu'er tea complexity, goji berry sweetness, and Granny Smith apple brightness that feel both familiar and entirely unique.

Menglian sits in southern Yunnan near the borders with Myanmar and Laos, in a region where coffee cultivation is relatively recent but growing rapidly. The terroir—mountainous terrain, ideal rainfall, volcanic soil—mirrors some of the world's best coffee-growing regions, and producers like Gong Yi Jia are proving that with careful cultivation and processing, Yunnan can compete on the specialty stage.

THE PRODUCER — Gong Yi Jia & Yunnan's Coffee Renaissance

Gong Yi Jia cultivates coffee at 1,800 metres above sea level in Chichang, Menglian. Coffee production in Yunnan dates back to the late 19th century when French missionaries first introduced the crop, but for decades it remained primarily commercial-grade, grown for volume rather than quality. The specialty coffee movement in Yunnan is genuinely new—driven by producers like Gong Yi Jia who see the potential for exceptional coffee in the region's favourable growing conditions.

Yunnan's climate provides excellent conditions for coffee cultivation: distinct wet and dry seasons, moderate temperatures at altitude, and mineral-rich volcanic soil. The challenge has been developing the infrastructure and expertise for specialty processing. Whilst tea production in Yunnan benefits from centuries of refinement, specialty coffee processing requires different knowledge—fermentation timing, drying protocols, quality control measures that prevent defects.

Gong Yi Jia's success with this Catimor lot demonstrates that Yunnan producers are rapidly developing these skills. The clean cup profile, balanced acidity, and distinctive character show that Chinese coffee deserves serious attention from the specialty community.

THE PROCESS — Traditional Washed Method

Gong Yi Jia employs a straightforward washed process, focusing on fundamentals rather than experimental techniques. For a region still establishing its specialty coffee credentials, this approach makes sense—master the basics before innovating:

• 🍒 Selective Harvesting — Ripe Catimor cherries picked at peak maturity
• ⚙️ Depulping — Mechanical removal of skin and fruit
• 💧 Fermentation — Mucilage removal through controlled fermentation
• 🌊 Washing — Thorough washing to remove all remaining mucilage
• ☀️ Drying — Extended drying to optimal moisture content

The washed process creates the clean, bright profile that allows Catimor's characteristics—and Yunnan's terroir—to express clearly. There's no fruit mucilage to add sweetness or body; the cup is a direct expression of the variety, growing conditions, and processing precision.

Catimor is often overlooked by specialty coffee aficionados due to its commercial origins (a cross between Caturra and Timor Hybrid, developed for disease resistance and yield). However, when grown at high altitude and processed carefully, Catimor can produce genuinely interesting coffee—as this lot demonstrates.

THE CUP — Distinctively Chinese Character with Clean Brightness

This coffee tastes unmistakably Chinese in the best possible way. The Pu'er tea character connects it to Yunnan's tea heritage, whilst goji berry sweetness and Granny Smith apple acidity create a profile that's both familiar and distinctly different from Latin American or African coffees. There's a sophistication here that defies Catimor's utilitarian reputation.

Flavour Notes

• 🍵 Pu'er Tea — earthy, complex tea character with fermented depth
• 🫐 Goji Berry — distinctive sweetness with subtle dried fruit and herbal notes
• 🍏 Granny Smith Apple — crisp, bright acidity with green apple tartness

The Pu'er tea character is particularly intriguing—there's an earthy complexity that feels related to tea terroir, the same volcanic soil and mountain conditions that make Yunnan famous for tea also expressing in this coffee. Goji berry sweetness adds a distinctively Chinese ingredient, that slightly herbal, dried-fruit character familiar from traditional Chinese medicine and cuisine. Granny Smith apple provides structure—crisp acidity that keeps the cup bright and lively.

The body is medium, clean without being thin. The acidity is vibrant but not sharp—more green apple than citrus, providing freshness without aggression. The finish is surprisingly long, with those tea and berry notes lingering pleasantly.

This lot from Gong Yi Jia represents Yunnan coffee's exciting future. As more producers develop specialty processing skills and the region's infrastructure improves, we can expect to see increasingly exceptional coffees from China. This Catimor proves that Yunnan has the terroir, the altitude, and now the expertise to produce genuinely world-class specialty coffee.

What is the roast recency?

We recommend brewing with beans that are at least two weeks off roast. All beans are roasted to peak flavour at around 6-12 weeks. We have the option to either purchase standard beans (at least 2 weeks but no longer than 6 weeks off roast), or rested beans (at least 7 weeks off roast, no longer than 12 - should we have any left in stock!). For peak flavour, if you are looking to use immediately, we recommend purchasing the rested beans. If you are adding to your rotation of beans, we recommend purchasing the standard and allowing the beans to naturally rest and mature whilst you rotate through other beans.

What does 'Filter' or 'Espresso' Roast mean?

Typically filter is roasted lighter than espresso, though this is not always the case. Several factors play into what brands a Manhattan coffee as 'filter' or 'espresso', which includes the roast profile - i.e. how the beans are roasted, not just how developed a roast it is. It doesn't preclude you from using the beans for espresso though!