Chim Lang Vietnamese specialty arabica coffee 1kg

About this coffee:

There is still some uncertainty about the real-life inspiration behind Chim Lạc (literally translated as the “Lạc bird”). This mythical creature is deeply woven into Vietnamese culture, appearing on many historic artifacts, including the iconic Đông Sơn bronze drums. As a symbol, the Lạc bird is both familiar and sacred: a powerful aspiration to rise toward the sky and beyond. It represents resilience and the ability to transcend hardship, qualities that have long defined the Vietnamese spirit. 

Vietnamese coffee embodies the same characteristics: enduring, forward‑looking and deeply rooted in its origin. Historically, Vietnam has not been widely recognized as a source of high‑quality Arabica. But much like the image of Chim Lạc soaring across the sky, Vietnam’s specialty‑grade coffees are gaining recognition on the international market. Our Fully washed Chim Lạc reflects this upward shift in quality: fully traceable and carefully crafted to honor the beauty of its origin, variety and terroir.  

Cultivated by dedicated smallholder farmers in the red soils and high elevations of the Lam Dong region, where cool nights and thin air intensify sweetness and sharpen clarity, this coffee is designed to uplift. Chim Lạc’s consistent cup profile, with an 82 to 83 SCA cup score, is characterized by sweet, vibrant fruit notes, complemented by lively acidity and the comforting warmth of vanilla. The finish gently lingers after every sip, just like the lasting reverberation of a Đông Sơn bronze drum. 

Cultivation:
Farmers in the Lam Dong region have been cultivating Arabica coffee since the mid‑1850s, when it was first introduced by the French. Over time, the region has earned a strong reputation as one of the country’s leading sources of quality Arabica. 

Smallholder farmers in the region grow primarily Catimor at elevations ranging from 1,400 to 1,600 meters above sea level, typically on small plots of 1 to 3 hectares. Rather than processing cherries on their own farms, most farmers deliver their freshly picked cherries to centralized wet mills, where cherries are processed for export. Harvest season occurs between December and February. Thanks to fertile volcanic soils and consistently cool, year‑round temperatures, coffee from this region is known for exceptional sweetness and vibrant acidity. 

Harvest & Post-harvest:

Cherries are carefully hand-picked and delivered to Sucafina’s Lam Dong wet mill for processing. Our team ensures that 98 to 99% of cherries are fully ripe before pulping, and at intake, cherries are carefully sorted to remove any damaged or underripe fruits. The cherries are then pulped using a Penagos vertical pulper, resulting in optimal quality. After pulping, coffee is fermented for 8 to 10 hours at a controlled temperature. Once fermentation is completed, the parchment is washed using centriflux. This method helps minimize the use of water during processing while enhancing cup clarity. After washing, the wet parchment is evenly spread on raised beds to dry for 4 to 5 days, depending on the weather. During this stage, parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. After this first drying, the parchment is finished in a mechanical dryer to achieve optimal humidity for storage. The parchment is then stored in a climate-controlled warehouse, where it rests for at least one month before being milled and prepared for sale.

Coffee in Vietnam:

Coffee played in a major role in Vietnam’s stunning economic transformation from the extreme poverty in the late-1980s to the relative prosperity in the 2010s. Our Vietnam offerings highlight some of the best that the country has to offer, including more recent forays into specialty coffees.

The main variety planted in Vietnam is Catimor, a hybrid of Caturra and Timor (itself an Arabica-Robusta hybrid). While Catimor boasts high yields and high disease-resistance, it’s not typically prized for its cup quality. This encourages producers to refine their selection and processing techniques.

Producers are also focusing on improving their selection and processing techniques. This focus on improvement begins at harvest time. Farmers and their workers have begun to employ more selective harvesting techniques, and better post-harvest quality controls are increasingly being implemented.

Other producers are venturing into experimental processing to increase harvest quality and, ultimately, sale price. Some producers are focusing on yeast or enzyme fermentations, others are using anaerobic fermentation. At this point, most of this experimentation is used on microlots. In the future, more farmers may turn to processing most or all of their harvest using advanced or experimental processes to help increase sale prices.