Uncommon Coffee Blend: The Climate Resilience Cup
The Connection
It brings together Canephora, Arabica and Liberica/Excelsa in one blend.
The connection is genetic, historical and climatic. These species and varieties point to a broader future for coffee, one that goes beyond Arabica and embraces diversity as a source of resilience.
The Story
Conilon was once domesticated and distributed from wild Canephora populations in Central and West Africa, including the Mayombe rainforest in Western D.R. Congo, to Brazil, where it became the base of around 20% of today’s global Canephora industry.
Arabica from Idjwi Island puts the focus on a global crisis that is still barely discussed.
Vietnamese Liberica/Excelsa is likely rooted in African genetic lineages, including the Congolese Basin, where it was once domesticated and later distributed through colonial networks to what was then French Indochina.
What these coffee components have in common is D.R. Congo’s important place not only as a coffee origin, but as one of the origins that introduced diversity beyond Arabica to the world through colonial mechanisms that never intended to give Congo the honour it deserves.
The Cup
- The #00130 Ormindo Brazilian Conilon brings body, structure, sweetness and notes of cocoa butter, cedar, apple and honey.
- The #00179 Akenji Idjwi Arabica brings brightness, florals and fruit notes such as black tea, red currant, brown sugar and red apple.
- The #00178 Vietnamese 96B Liberica/Excelsa brings the uncommon character, with notes of multivitamin juice, vanilla, oak, strawberry and guava.
Together, they create two possible expressions:
Option 1: Filter
- Ratio suggestion: 4g Akenji + 4g Ormindo Nandorf + 4g 96B
- Approx. order structure: 1 bag Akenji + 2 bags Ormindo + 2 bags 96B
For filter, the blend becomes smooth, sweet and complex, with very present Liberica notes. It shows multivitamin juice, stevia, nuts and heavy Canephora body, balanced by mild spice and florals from Congo. As it cools, it becomes sweeter and more lingering, with notes of strawberry cream, nuts and chocolate.
Option 2: Omniroast / Espresso-oriented
- Ratio suggestion: 4.5g Akenji + 4.5g Ormindo Nandorf + 3g 96B
- Approx. order structure: 1 bag Akenji + 2 bags Ormindo + 1 bag 96B
For omniroast, the blend starts darker and more structured, with dark chocolate, oak, roasted nuts, sweetness and dark fruit. As it cools, caramel and sweetness become more present, followed by guava, raisin and mild spice.
The Impact
This blend puts the focus on climate resilience and is centered around D.R. Congo, a place where the genetic base for the future of coffee is still hidden in the rainforest.
It matters because the future of coffee will depend on diversity, not only in origin, but also in species, genetics and sensory possibilities.
Are you looking for a unique opportunity in taste and narrative?
The Uncommon Coffee Blends are designed to sharpen your position as a thought leader and create consumer experiences your clients will find nowhere else.
Each blend offers a clear connection, a meaningful story, a distinctive cup and a reason to matter today.
