Elan Organic Coffees imports a beautiful award winning coffee from the Balmadi Estate, situated in the Blue Mountains of Southern India, the Nilgiris District of the state of Tamil Nadu. It is part of the O'Valley group of plantations that were developed over 150 years ago by an enterprising Scotsman, John Ouchterloney. These plantations are also home to the mysterious Toda tribes.

Elan is the first to import these coffees into North America! The Ramanand is washed and the Bindi is natural processed, both from the Balmadi Estate. The Estate produces one of the highest grown coffees in India. Their coffee is nurtured by native shade trees, called Sholas. The producer plants according to bio-dynamics, learned from Rudolf Steiner of Germany. This agriculture method depends not only on the quality of the soil, but also the cosmos-movements of the sun, moon and planets. To maximize the effect of their inputs, the producer follows a bio-dynamic calendar for planting, harvesting and applying natural fertilizers. The Estate is surrounded by a forest in which sambhar, bison, deer, elephants, panther and monkeys roam freely. Every year, the producer plants more shade cover comprising of many new varieties of trees, increasing biodiversity and sustainability.
The coffee has won the Flavour of India, Fine Cup Award 2004 for India's best Arabica coffee.

Altitude: 3600-5400 feet
Variety: Kent and Selection 795
Processing Method: Washed & Natural
Grade: Strictly Hard Bean
Species: Arabica
Harvest: November to January

Cup Characteristics: full rich body, sweet acidity, citrus, caramel, apricot tones with a pleasant lingering aftertaste

The Jasmine Estate spreads over 150 acres of the Chikamagalur District in Karnataka State. It was planted in 1888 and for a long time the majority was exported to London. In 1973 the Estate was acquired by K.R. Sethna. Sethna's background as an environmentalist and ornithologist motivated him to convert the entire estate to organic in 1989. The Estate was certified organic by SKAL in 2002. Currently it is owned by U.M. Ramesh Rao and S. Dinakar Rao.

The best Arabica coffee from Jasmine Estate is grown at 3800 ft in forest-alluvial and humus-rich soil, under a mixed canopy of 40-45 ft native shade trees. These trees also help to conserve the natural flora, fauna and soil of the Estate. According to Elan Organic's Founder and CEO, Karen Cebreros, "Words cannot do justice to this bold, rich floral cup."

Altitude: 3800feet
Variety: Arabica S.288
Processing Method: Washed
Grade: Strictly Hard Bean
Species: Arabica
Harvest: December to January

Cup Characteristics: sweet floral jasmine notes throughout, consistent, outstanding rich body, pleasant long aftertaste