LEKALI ESTATE

About the Coffee

Nima Tenzing runs Lekali Estate in the Nukawot region of Nepal, at elevations that put it firmly in Himalayan growing territory. Coffee farming in Nepal is still relatively new compared to established origins like Ethiopia or Colombia, which makes estates like Lekali genuinely uncommon. The farm grows Bourbon and Caturra, two varietals more commonly associated with Latin America, which reflects how intentional the choices here are.

This lot is processed using mosto washed dry fermentation. Mosto refers to the liquid that drains off during fermentation, which can be collected and reintroduced to the fermentation tank to intensify and extend the process. The "washed dry" part means the coffee is still cleaned of its fruit skin before drying, but the extended fermentation gives the final cup a character that sits somewhere between a clean washed coffee and a more expressive natural. It's a labor-intensive approach that requires close attention at every stage.

Nepal produces a very small volume of specialty coffee each year, and most of it rarely leaves the region. What reaches international roasters is almost entirely from small estates like Lekali, where individual producers control every step from picking through processing. That limited supply is a big part of why this coffee is priced the way it is.

About Traffic Coffee

Traffic Coffee was founded by Greg Lancot and Jessie Lewin in Montréal. The two started the roastery out of a shared interest in making coffee feel less serious, bringing some spontaneity into a category that can get overly reverent. Their packaging reflects that, with bold colors and original illustrations that look unlike anything else on a coffee shelf.

Traffic roasts in small batches and keeps their sourcing deliberate. They tend to work with either coffees where the varietal does most of the talking on its own, or lots that use experimental processing to push flavor in a different direction. The Lekali Estate falls squarely in that second camp.

"Traffic's breadth of coffee is remarkable - from dark roasts reminiscent of your grandmother's kitchen, to wild co-ferments with tasting notes we admittedly have to look up. The packaging and the coffee inside is meant to captivate you, and I hope you feel the same when you try this coffee."

- Dean, Director of Coffee