I haven't had this unusually enjoyable peaberry since the holiday season, and I'm really excited to be able to drink it again.The country of Papua New Guinea is speckled with a constellation of small-farm "Coffee Gardens," each cultivating these beautifully unique beans, usually in the rolling hills and mountaintops. There's a strange, wild note in this particular cup and - compared with it's other Indonesian coffees - there's an unexpected sweetness here, too.

Papua New Guinea is the second-largest island on earth. It lies just north of Australia and is split down the center into two nation-states: Papua New Guinea (on the east) and Irian Jaya (on the west). Richly endowed with natural resources, Papua New Guinea has one of the most rugged and spectacular topographies in the world - high peaks, active volcanoes, frequent earthquakes, and an extreme rainy season. Coffee cultivation began here after the introduction of coffee seeds from Jamaica's Blue Mountain region.

The coffee industry relies on tens of thousands of small farms. In the 1950's, policies encouraged the establishment of village coffee gardens, especially in the highland regions where the rich soils and high elevation provided ideal growing conditions. Two million people - nearly half of the population - are engaged in the coffee industry. The typical village-based grower makes use of rudimentary, traditional growing methods - mean that no artificial fertilizers or chemical sprays are used. These growers own their farms outright; input consists mainly of their own personal labor and the implementation of few simple tools. The Papua New Guinea coffee farmer is very much his own man, incredibly independent in an increasingly complex world.

The rich volcanic soils of Papua New Guinea contain significant amounts of volcanic ash - the soil is remarkably high in organic matter as a result. The result? Coffee beans with exceptional body and a touch of creamy caramel, rounded-out with an undertone of dark honey sweetness. As the cup begins to cool, the complexity of this coffee begins to fully reveal itself - an array of flavorful spice begins to emerge, including cinnamon, sassafras, and sandalwood. There's also a hint of black tea - the perfect note - followed up with a smooth milk-chocolate finish. An earthy body, sweet acidity, and complex fruity aroma - pure autumnal perfection!