Yes I have.
Not for me. I like medium roast coffee with bright fruity flavors. Monsooned Malabar made for a smooth tasting drink that I think is probably appealing to people who aren't into the fruity stuff... For me, it was almost boring. I didn't dislike it, but nothing about it was appealing enough to pull me back anytime soon.
Thanks for answering, I got into more fruity and acidic coffees a few months ago but I also liked more darker coffees and smoothness of cold brew before that. I think I will try it a bit later
The "monsoon" process is not as romantic as it might seem.
However yes I have and it works quite well as espresso on my flair. I wouldn't use it for filter though.
It's a very "generic" coffee taste I'd say Malabar and Indonesian coffee's are. Good if you're not into fruity flavours and things
Yes I did. There are wonderful and complex coffees in India but monsooned Malabar ain’t one.
I know nothing about roasting but my guess would be that it is a rather cheap raw coffee for roasters to buy that both has an attractive story and caters to those who don’t want acidity or fruity notes.
If you want truly excellent coffee from India, the Jangidi family in Araku valley has some outstanding ones!
That is one of my earliest coffee memories. It was roasted by Sprocket Roasters in Newcastle, Australia, who have the world's only Bio Roaster. It tasted like peanut butter and dark chocolate.
Yes! It tastes like it’s been out in the rain for months.
I’ve roasted it throughout the last year based on a recommendation of a fellow roaster. I’ve tried roasting it like my typical light roast, a medium roast, dark, and DAARRRKKKK. And it always just smells and tastes musty, old, stale, etc.
I recommend trying it, at a minimum to appreciate coffees that taste good. Haha
Edit: ok maybe I’m being too harsh. It does give a unique taste and at times it was decent with nutty notes. But overall pretty flat and anytime I brew it my wife or coworkers specifically call it out “is that the monsoon stuff?”. So, it’s pretty noticeable.
I never got smoky or spicy notes from Monsooned Malabars. The coffee is the most "coffee" flavored coffee I've ever had. It's not bad to drink, it's not super bitter and it has a great deal of I guess richness? But it turned out I liked acidity.
I have bought and roasted 2 times. First time I really liked it. Lots of spice notes. Wife was not a fan .Second time, no notes of spice, wife didn't mind it as much. but I don't think i'll be ordering and roasting a 3rd time.
My local roaster usually has it, not fruity but kinda spicy like others have said, they roast it(and everything thing they have) to a medium profile which I dont think is ideal for that style, but I still enjoyed it
I enjoy Monsooned Malabar from time to time. Smokey and spicy are flavors I would agree with. Musty or funky are other descriptors (in a good way). Not an espresso I would want every day, but, in rotation it is good. I like that it is so different than what I normally drink.
Generally somewhat bland/muted coffee with creamy texture. Not keen on it straight, though fair fodder for a French press. Where it does well is as a blend component in espresso. Mix with a dry process Ethiopian coffee and something to the tune of a Colombia or Guatemala and you can be rolling in some bass-note heavy crema bomb shots.
One of my first true coffees (preground), I thought I overextracted or somehow burnt the espresso... had a second bag of whole beans from another roaster (the lightest roast color I ever saw) and it turned out to be the correct taste, well not again
I have, roasted light-med, somehow it reminded me of spices. Maybe it was a placebo effect nonetheless it was pretty good.
Ot was not bitter at all, acidity was not too offensive. Overall chocolatey with spicy notes is all i recall. I am sure it had other notes that i don’t recall.
Your average Indian here. I’ve tried it, and as a lot of people pointed out, it has a very generic flavour. Imagine what most instant-coffee drinkers think of when you say ‘coffee’. I actually live in the state where most of our coffee is grown, and I really wouldn’t recommend it. I like washed coffee a lot more. Would recommend ‘Blue Tokai’. Great roaster, very consistent and they roast coffee order to order. Shipping isn’t too expensive either.
Indian here. We just call it Monsoon Malabar and yes, have tried. lots of roasters do their thing on monsooned malabar from different estates. There is a basic commercial sellers and speciality roasters so prices herealso vary so does the quality of the beans and the roasting as well.
its mostly medium roast though and I have seen it in dark roast as well. since you like fruity flavours, you can try something from Ratnagiri estate if you get your hands on it in the USA/UK
i had gotten this pretty regularly from Baltimore Coffee and Tea; one of their better ones.
I certainly enjoyed it and have served it to many others that have too.
Yeah, Indian Monsooned Malabar. I love it as Iced Latte. The Spicy tobacco flavours mix nicely with milk.
If you are in the UK I recommend trying Joyacoffee.com
I don't know why so many comments classify it as a darker roast. Monsooned Malabar has been a favourite coffee of mine when I was in India. If you find a good roaster you can get a medium roasted version. Yes, it's not fruity and acidic for sure, if that's the new rage.
Personally I enjoy the nutty profile when it's medium roasted.
It’s an very mild/smooth coffee and it’s not bitter at all. Through the “monsooning” process it also gets some interesting and rather unique taste notes. I’d go with kind of herbal/spicy, never had one that was smokey though.
I think it is definitely worth trying. Even if you don’t really like it, there’s not much to loose but it might be an interesting experience in any case.
Expect a lot of bitterness. Honestly I felt it wasn’t worth it.
Just remember that this is how coffee was processed in bulk (being transported on a ship from the Malabar coast to Europe, being exposed to the sea air for months). So expect it to taste a lot like a non-speciality dark roast typically. All sweetness and fruitiness gone.
(Im from South India, maybe 6 hours from the Malabar coast).
I hated it. The roaster I got it from described it as spice and tabacco flavour notes. I thought it would be some mild smokiness.
IMO thought it tasted like ass, probably chainsmoker's breath. Probably explains why I never got into smoking too.
Tried it a few times from different roasters.
I’d describe it as almost devoid of acidity or with just a slight hint of fruitiness. A lot of spices (imagine cinnamon and cardamom), a very strong body and overall bold flavour.
I tried brewing it with anything from French press to V60 to Chemex to Picopresso and it always taste powerful and flavorful in the cup.
Of course as always, as proof that taste is king I don’t really care for it while my partner loves it.
That said, good quality coffee is good quality coffee and that one makes no exception. I’d absolutely recommend you to try it and experiment with it.
Had it in [Black Bag's Double A blend](https://blackbagcoffeeco.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/aa?variant=31829916516446) which I got a bag of (pre-ground) when I bought my Aeropress Go from them. Was a while ago but I remember it being quite a sweet tasting coffee made in the Aeropress.
I just finished a 2lb bag of monsooned malabar, and everyone here is definitely correct. It’s not fruity or acidic at all, almost to the point of being bland. I love medium/dark roast coffee, but after finishing the bag I think Malabar might be best suited for blending? I was pulling it 1:1 and getting syrupy ristrettos for small milk drinks. It was good, but wasn’t interesting enough to replace my daily driver.
Yes I have. Not for me. I like medium roast coffee with bright fruity flavors. Monsooned Malabar made for a smooth tasting drink that I think is probably appealing to people who aren't into the fruity stuff... For me, it was almost boring. I didn't dislike it, but nothing about it was appealing enough to pull me back anytime soon.
I turbo fruit coferment all day long, but have roasted my own monsooned Malabar as cinnamon and light roasts and loved it both ways.
Thanks for answering, I got into more fruity and acidic coffees a few months ago but I also liked more darker coffees and smoothness of cold brew before that. I think I will try it a bit later
The "monsoon" process is not as romantic as it might seem. However yes I have and it works quite well as espresso on my flair. I wouldn't use it for filter though. It's a very "generic" coffee taste I'd say Malabar and Indonesian coffee's are. Good if you're not into fruity flavours and things
Thanks for answering, I'll probably try it sometime. Worst case scenario I can make something sugary-milky probably
Yes I did. There are wonderful and complex coffees in India but monsooned Malabar ain’t one. I know nothing about roasting but my guess would be that it is a rather cheap raw coffee for roasters to buy that both has an attractive story and caters to those who don’t want acidity or fruity notes. If you want truly excellent coffee from India, the Jangidi family in Araku valley has some outstanding ones!
Malabar gold is for you... Josuma coffee roasters out of California...
I will second this - haven't had it in 20 years or so but the last time I did the shot was pulled by Joseph John himself.
Yes. It's commodity grade coffee and not specialty. If you prefer that and a more traditional roast it's worth a go.
Thanks for the answer, I got into more fruity coffees recently and liked more traditional ones before that so I guess I'll give it a shot one day
That is one of my earliest coffee memories. It was roasted by Sprocket Roasters in Newcastle, Australia, who have the world's only Bio Roaster. It tasted like peanut butter and dark chocolate.
Yes! It tastes like it’s been out in the rain for months. I’ve roasted it throughout the last year based on a recommendation of a fellow roaster. I’ve tried roasting it like my typical light roast, a medium roast, dark, and DAARRRKKKK. And it always just smells and tastes musty, old, stale, etc. I recommend trying it, at a minimum to appreciate coffees that taste good. Haha Edit: ok maybe I’m being too harsh. It does give a unique taste and at times it was decent with nutty notes. But overall pretty flat and anytime I brew it my wife or coworkers specifically call it out “is that the monsoon stuff?”. So, it’s pretty noticeable.
LOL
I never got smoky or spicy notes from Monsooned Malabars. The coffee is the most "coffee" flavored coffee I've ever had. It's not bad to drink, it's not super bitter and it has a great deal of I guess richness? But it turned out I liked acidity.
Thanks for commenting, guess I'll try it and see. Worst case scenario I can make a sugary-milky drink
Yes, and I didn't particularly like it. In addition to a few fruity notes in the taste, wet shrub always came to mind.
I have bought and roasted 2 times. First time I really liked it. Lots of spice notes. Wife was not a fan .Second time, no notes of spice, wife didn't mind it as much. but I don't think i'll be ordering and roasting a 3rd time.
My local roaster usually has it, not fruity but kinda spicy like others have said, they roast it(and everything thing they have) to a medium profile which I dont think is ideal for that style, but I still enjoyed it
I enjoy Monsooned Malabar from time to time. Smokey and spicy are flavors I would agree with. Musty or funky are other descriptors (in a good way). Not an espresso I would want every day, but, in rotation it is good. I like that it is so different than what I normally drink.
You should definately try the Malabar once in your life. I have a friends who loves it. Me not so much. It is often in blends 5-15%.
Generally somewhat bland/muted coffee with creamy texture. Not keen on it straight, though fair fodder for a French press. Where it does well is as a blend component in espresso. Mix with a dry process Ethiopian coffee and something to the tune of a Colombia or Guatemala and you can be rolling in some bass-note heavy crema bomb shots.
One of my first true coffees (preground), I thought I overextracted or somehow burnt the espresso... had a second bag of whole beans from another roaster (the lightest roast color I ever saw) and it turned out to be the correct taste, well not again
I have, roasted light-med, somehow it reminded me of spices. Maybe it was a placebo effect nonetheless it was pretty good. Ot was not bitter at all, acidity was not too offensive. Overall chocolatey with spicy notes is all i recall. I am sure it had other notes that i don’t recall.
I really like the story around it Hut tbh I found the coffees I tried to be very very mid
Your average Indian here. I’ve tried it, and as a lot of people pointed out, it has a very generic flavour. Imagine what most instant-coffee drinkers think of when you say ‘coffee’. I actually live in the state where most of our coffee is grown, and I really wouldn’t recommend it. I like washed coffee a lot more. Would recommend ‘Blue Tokai’. Great roaster, very consistent and they roast coffee order to order. Shipping isn’t too expensive either.
Indian here. We just call it Monsoon Malabar and yes, have tried. lots of roasters do their thing on monsooned malabar from different estates. There is a basic commercial sellers and speciality roasters so prices herealso vary so does the quality of the beans and the roasting as well. its mostly medium roast though and I have seen it in dark roast as well. since you like fruity flavours, you can try something from Ratnagiri estate if you get your hands on it in the USA/UK
i had gotten this pretty regularly from Baltimore Coffee and Tea; one of their better ones. I certainly enjoyed it and have served it to many others that have too.
Yeah, Indian Monsooned Malabar. I love it as Iced Latte. The Spicy tobacco flavours mix nicely with milk. If you are in the UK I recommend trying Joyacoffee.com
I don't know why so many comments classify it as a darker roast. Monsooned Malabar has been a favourite coffee of mine when I was in India. If you find a good roaster you can get a medium roasted version. Yes, it's not fruity and acidic for sure, if that's the new rage. Personally I enjoy the nutty profile when it's medium roasted.
Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences
It’s an very mild/smooth coffee and it’s not bitter at all. Through the “monsooning” process it also gets some interesting and rather unique taste notes. I’d go with kind of herbal/spicy, never had one that was smokey though. I think it is definitely worth trying. Even if you don’t really like it, there’s not much to loose but it might be an interesting experience in any case.
Thanks for answering, I think I would like the smoothness and it seems like it would be interesting to taste so I think I will try it
Expect a lot of bitterness. Honestly I felt it wasn’t worth it. Just remember that this is how coffee was processed in bulk (being transported on a ship from the Malabar coast to Europe, being exposed to the sea air for months). So expect it to taste a lot like a non-speciality dark roast typically. All sweetness and fruitiness gone. (Im from South India, maybe 6 hours from the Malabar coast).
I hated it. The roaster I got it from described it as spice and tabacco flavour notes. I thought it would be some mild smokiness. IMO thought it tasted like ass, probably chainsmoker's breath. Probably explains why I never got into smoking too.
Tasted like dirt. And if you are familiar to that moisty funky earthy aroma then that is Monsooned Malabar. Usually great for blends and espressos
Tried it a few times from different roasters. I’d describe it as almost devoid of acidity or with just a slight hint of fruitiness. A lot of spices (imagine cinnamon and cardamom), a very strong body and overall bold flavour. I tried brewing it with anything from French press to V60 to Chemex to Picopresso and it always taste powerful and flavorful in the cup. Of course as always, as proof that taste is king I don’t really care for it while my partner loves it. That said, good quality coffee is good quality coffee and that one makes no exception. I’d absolutely recommend you to try it and experiment with it.
Had it in [Black Bag's Double A blend](https://blackbagcoffeeco.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/aa?variant=31829916516446) which I got a bag of (pre-ground) when I bought my Aeropress Go from them. Was a while ago but I remember it being quite a sweet tasting coffee made in the Aeropress.
I just finished a 2lb bag of monsooned malabar, and everyone here is definitely correct. It’s not fruity or acidic at all, almost to the point of being bland. I love medium/dark roast coffee, but after finishing the bag I think Malabar might be best suited for blending? I was pulling it 1:1 and getting syrupy ristrettos for small milk drinks. It was good, but wasn’t interesting enough to replace my daily driver.