Istana Coffee & Roastery Ubud

you can smell istana's sumatra mandheling before you see the roastery. that earthy, almost herbal intensity hits first, then the chocolate undertones follow. they're pulling some of the cleanest wet-hulled beans from north sumatra, and the difference shows in your cup. the body has weight without the muddy funk that plagues lesser roasters. when they hit that medium roast sweet spot with their gayo mountain lots, the acidity brightens just enough to balance the inherent earthiness. proper indonesian coffee, none of that over-roasted nonsense.