The Pollung area, located southwest of Lake Toba in North Sumatra, is home to coffee collector and processor Alfiner Lumban Gaol. He works closely with around 250 neighboring smallholder farmers, visiting them individually to source only the highest-quality parchment while also providing guidance to help improve their production practices.

Unlike in the Aceh region, shade trees are rarely planted in the Lintong area. Inspired by Aceh, Alfiner began introducing Lamtoro Gung (a leguminous tree) as shade trees. These not only help maintain soil moisture and reduce the impact of droughts but also stabilize the soil and growing environment, enabling more young coffee trees to be planted successfully.

Currently, Alfiner is also leading a project to raise the overall quality of the region by cultivating seedlings from high-sugar-content cherries and distributing them to about 50 farmers. Some farms are already planting Bourbon and Typica varieties as part of this initiative. With these efforts, Alfiner aims to ensure that Mandheling coffee of exceptional quality continues to thrive for future generations, while growing together with his community.

Region: Lintong, Dolok Sanggul, Pollung
Producer: Alfiner Lumban Gaol
Altitude: 1,400 – 1,500 m
Varieties: Ateng, Timtim
Process: Sumatra
Flavor Notes: Spicy, Earthy, Fullbody
Roast: Dark