The Enchanter

Tucked into the Eastern Ghats, Koraput is one of India's most exciting emerging coffee origins. While coffee has grown in the wider Machkund region for decades, it's only in recent years that the tribal farming communities here have turned to specialty coffee as a path to better livelihoods. At elevations of around 900 metres, coffee grows alongside black pepper, ginger, turmeric and millets, shaded by silver oak, mango, jackfruit and jamun trees — with the adjoining forests still home to civets, wild boars and bears. Fun fact: the region takes its coffee identity from a landscape crowned by the Duduma Waterfall, one of Odisha's most spectacular natural landmarks.

Duduma Farmer Producer Company is a collective of more than 560 tribal coffee growers spread across thirty-plus villages in the Lamtaput and Nandapur blocks of southern Koraput — most farming just a single acre each. Named after the iconic Duduma Waterfall, the FPC was formally incorporated in 2022 under CEO Gangadhar Sisa, growing out of a farmer group that began in 2009. In just its second year of organised aggregation, procurement volumes have grown several-fold, and with training in selective harvesting and post-harvest practices, more of its lots are showing true specialty potential. Every bag of The Enchanter puts value directly back into one of the largest farmer-owned institutions in the region — predominantly Scheduled Tribe households, with strong participation from women farmers.

The plantations of Duduma FPC are planted primarily with three Indian-bred Arabica varietals. Chandragiri is a modern dwarf variety developed by the Central Coffee Research Institute, prized for its cup quality and disease resistance. Cauvery (Catimor) brings hardiness and reliable yields to smallholder plots, while Selection 5B — a San Ramon derivative — is valued for its balanced, sweet cup. Grown together under native shade at 900 metres, they produce a clean, fruit-forward profile that captures the freshness of this young origin.

The washed process, also known as the wet process, is a method where the coffee cherries are pulped to remove the outer fruit layer before the beans are fermented in water to break down any remaining mucilage. After fermentation, the beans are thoroughly washed and then dried. This method highlights the coffee's intrinsic flavors, producing a cleaner, brighter cup with pronounced acidity and clarity. The washed process is favored for its ability to showcase the unique characteristics of a coffee's origin, making it popular among specialty coffee producers and enthusiasts alike.

The coffee was roasted medium - light to retain the acidity and fruity notes of the coffee. A quick roast with a short DTR helps maintain the complex notes of the coffee.

DTR - 13%

Roast time - 9 min and 30 seconds