Al-Durrar Single Farmer Lot

The story of this incredible coffee starts centuries ago in the mountains of Yemen. An Islamic Scholar and Sufi mystic discovered that if he set a pot of water over his cooking fire, and boiled the seeds of a fruit tree that grew wild in the hills, the water turned aromatic and muddy brown. When he drank the brew, it lifted his spirit, awakened his senses, and allowed him to pray and study through the night.

The unique microclimate and high elevation where this coffee was grown produced drought-resistant plants that yielded complex coffees with sweet, chocolatey flavors prized by the people in the surrounding region. The entirety of the world’s coffee was exported from Yemen’s Port of Mokha in the Red Sea until the mid 1600s, when it is believed that an Indian pilgrim smuggled out seven green coffee seeds, spreading coffee cultivation across the globe. Today, over 90% of the world’s coffee can be genetically traced back to those original seven coffee trees.

The Port Of Mokha company is the improbable journey of Mokhtar Alkhanshali, the son of Yemeni immigrants. One day in 2013, Mokhtar walked into a specialty coffee shop in San Francisco and tried his first cup of single origin coffee. Mokhtar started obsessively reading, tasting, and learning everything he could about coffee, eventually training to become a certified Q grader from the Coffee Quality Institute, a rigorous course which involves learning how to cup, taste, identify, and grade both green and roasted coffee.

Mokhtar spent three years traveling in Yemen, surveying more than 30 coffee growing regions. Some farms were so remote, they were accessible only by a 3-day hike through the mountains. He met with farmers and took notes. He heard stories of his ancestors, measured rainfall, slept on mountains, and observed farming practices. He had a simple vision: If he could persuade farmers to elevate the quality of their beans, they would get paid a higher price than Khat, and would embrace growing coffee again. To accomplish this, Mokhtar had to educate and train farmers on best practices. Everything from using organic fertilizers to harvesting only ripe fruit, to drying and processing. He brought in the first moisture analyzers and built modern drying beds.

Port of Mokha works with the world’s most skilled roasters to realize the full potential of their beans. Port of Mokha Coffee will soon be a standing menu item at Blue Bottle Coffee (U.S. cafés), Coutume Café (Paris), Dragonfly Coffee Roasters (Boulder), Equator Coffee cafés (Bay Area), George Howell Coffee (Boston), and Slate Coffee (Seattle). Additional roasters are expected to serve Port of Mokha coffee this year, but this first round of coffee from the most recent shipment of beans, is now available to Touch of Modern members exclusively. Meaning you will be among the first ever to try what has been graded as truly the best coffee in the world.

This particular coffee comes from one single farm in Al-Durrar. Located in the province of Sana'a, this area is one of the oldest places in the world to cultivate coffee. The ancient Udaini varietal is cultivated here and is understood to be the grandfather of 90% of the world's coffee. Coffee here is grown at a staggering 2150-2400 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest grown coffees in the world and most vibrant. The people of West Hayma are known for their generosity and hospitality. They were one of the first communities in Yemen to be part of the Mokha Method and have produced a labor of love that is an unforgettable experience to the last sip.

With notes of cherry, strawberry jam and plum wine, this coffee was awarded 97 points by The Coffee Review, and personally roasted by Tamas Christman, CEO of Dragonfly Roasters.