(Exclusive) Sabah Malaysia Tapai

☕ How We Met Sabah

Our journey with Sabah coffee began in Malaysia, where we first experienced an unforgettable cup—but couldn’t bring the greens home. Months later, we reconnected with the farmer Jackz Lee. Excited by the opportunity, we secured the entire nano lot and brought it exclusively to Hong Kong.

🌿 About Sabarica Coffee – Sabah, Malaysia

Sabarica is a specialty coffee producer located in the highlands of Sabah, near Mount Kinabalu. Working closely with local farmers, they focus on harvesting and processing high-quality Arabica. Their dedication not only brings out terroir-driven flavors but also educates and inspires through farm tours and community collaboration.

🍶 What is Tapai Fermentation?

Tapai is a traditional rice wine enjoyed during Borneo’s Harvest Festival. For this coffee, ragi tapai (tapai yeast) is ground into fine powder and manually layered into freshly harvested coffee cherries. The cherries undergo a 5-day anaerobic fermentation at 16–25°C, followed by 2–4 weeks of drying.

This rare process, handled by producer Jackz Lee, is only found locally and brings out vibrant acidity, fruitiness, and floral-like aromatics. Think of it as the Malaysian cousin of Koji fermentation—creative, expressive, and deeply cultural.