Robusta Local Colol
Starting in the 18th century, Dutch colonial rulers demanded increased cultivation of Robusta in Manggarai. As early as 2007, Robusta from the village of Colol in East Manggarai, Flores, was rated as “Fine Robusta” at an international competition, among others by Dr. Manuel Diaz (a Q-grader and coffee expert from Mexico). What is particularly interesting about this story is that the green coffee used was already two years old.
To distinguish Robusta from other coffee varieties, look for the following characteristics: The leaves of the Robusta plant are significantly larger than those of Arabica plants. The coffee cherries always grow in clusters of several cherries. Additionally, the cherries and beans are smaller and rounder.
Since this Robusta variety has changed over time due to mutation, we refer to it as “Local Colol.”