Vietnam - Dung K'No

About the Coffee

Dung K'No Commune sits in Vietnam's Lâm Đồng province, where around 500 households grow coffee as their main source of income. Smallholder farmers here work just over a hectare each, at elevations between 1,100 and 1,400 meters, under a tropical monsoon climate with mild temperatures and steady rainfall. Alongside their coffee, farmers intercrop persimmon, jackfruit, macadamia, and avocado, which helps shade the plants and diversify household income.

The variety grown here is Catimor, a hybrid developed in the 1950s from Timor Hybrid and Caturra. It's known for disease resistance and adaptability, which makes it practical for smallholder farmers who don't have the resources to manage more fragile varieties. Freshly harvested cherries are delivered daily to the Duc Trọng Wet Mill, where they go through a water-efficient washed process: sorted, depulped, briefly fermented to remove the remaining fruit layer, then dried on raised beds or patios for five to seven days. The whole process is designed to produce a clean, consistent cup.

What makes this coffee worth paying attention to is how straightforward it is. Catimor from Vietnam doesn't always get the spotlight that African or Latin American origins do, but the combination of moderate elevation, careful wet milling, and a washed process produces something reliable and well-rounded. It works across brew methods, whether you're pulling it as espresso or making a French press on a slow morning.