Al Subaih - Special Reserve
Impressions: papaya, vanilla, sweet lemon, rose, lychee
Roast degree: 1.5/5
Country: Yemen
Governate: Sana'a
Region: Hayma Kharijiya
Village: Bait Alal
Varietal: Yemenia
Process: Natural
Partner importer: Qima Coffee
The Al Subaih Special Reserve celebrates the legacy of the Subaih family, who have cultivated coffee for generations in the picturesque Bait Alal cluster of villages in western Yemen. Perched at altitudes of up to 2,350 MASL, this lot features genetically verified Yemenia, grown with care on ancestral lands. Using the traditional natural processing method, the coffee reflects the Subaih family’s dedication, intuitive farming skills, and deep connection to their heritage. This exceptional lot embodies the rich coffee traditions and resilience of Yemen’s storied agricultural legacy.
Natural process is a time-honored coffee processing method that results in extraordinary depth and complexity of flavour. The process requires meticulous management throughout to result in flavour clarity.
After selective hand-harvesting of only the ripest cherries, dense and at the peak of their flavours, Qima's on- ground team promptly collects the cherries at the farm gate and transports them to our in-house drying facilities. The cherries are then placed on raised parabolic drying beds, where they are left to dry until the insides have reached the optimal moisture level. This can take between 15 to 25 days. The cherries are turned periodically during drying to avoid over fermentation. Moisture, density and BRIX levels are closely monitored to ensure uniformity and quality.
What can we even say about this coffee? It's just beautiful. We usually narrow it down to four impressions for our labels, but we had to use five of MANY because this coffee is so complex.
When it comes to a coffee like this, it's impossible, almost futile, to try and over analyze it: you have to experience it for yourself and make it your own little sensory trip.
But if you were to ask David what he tasted in it, he would tell you that papaya and lychee are the dominant fruits, making the coffee feel fresh and sirupy, but that we can also feel lots of citrus like sweet lemon, with an undertone of red berries.
It's sweet like vanilla and cane sugar, and if you brew for longer than our starting specs, it'll be full of caramel as well.
The coffee is also floral like rose water, and we might have detected some hints of cinnamon as well.
What is also impressing is that all of this, somehow, works wonder together.
| Method | Dose | Ratio | Time |
| Espresso | 18 g | 2.3:1 | 26-30 sec |
| Espresso with milk | 18g | 2:1 | 32-36 sec |
| Americano | 18 g | 2.3:1 | 28-32 sec |
|
V60/Origami |
20 g | 17:1 | 3:15-3:45 min |
|
Chemex & Batch Brew |
40-60 g | 16.5:1 | 4:30-5:30 min |
|
French Press |
18-25 g | 15.5:1 | 3:15 min steep time |
Farmers: Subaih family, Bait Alal village
Importer: Qima Coffee
Price we paid for the landed coffee at our roastery: 125CAD/kg
FOB price: 102CAD/kg
Farmgate price: 52CAD/kg
Qima Coffee donates 10% of their annual profits to the Qima Foundation, with the money being used for social development programs.