Yunding Zhuchao

Region: Lincang, Yunnan
Producer: 雲南榮康達有限公司
Cultivar: Syrina
Process: Fully Washed
Elevation: 1650 masl
Source: No Stone Coffee
Roast level: Very light
Roasted for: Mod Spro + Filter

Tasting Notes: Borage, cucumber, lu'an gua pian, grapefruit

The cup opens with a gentle flutter of borage − delicate and almost ethereal, its floral notes drifting in and out with a subtle herbaceous edge. As it develops, a gentle infusion of lu’an gua pian emerges, bringing a rounded, silky mouthfeel and a soft vegetal sweetness reminiscent of steamed greens. Mid-palate, a crisp wave of cucumber adds a cooling, hydrating sensation − clean, mineral, and lightly savory. The finish tapers elegantly into the pithy sweetness of grapefruit, leaving a lingering citrus zest and a refined, drying clarity that fits just perfect for a hot summer day.

Syrina is a hybrid varietal carefully bred from Sarchimor, Mundo Novo, Typica, and Bourbon, first identified and named after Kaleb Jordan’s daughter in northern Thailand. Known for its floral complexity and vibrant cup profile, the cultivar has captured attention across Southeast Asia and now onto Yunnan’s evolving specialty landscape.

In recent years, small experimental plots in Pu’er and Lincang have begun trialing Syrina at altitudes of 1500 to 1600 meters, where thick volcanic soils and wide diurnal temperature swings result in ideal growing conditions.

And this lot here is from one such plot high in the mountains where the Yunding Zhuchao Estate is located. Operated by the Yunnan Rongkangda Company (itself a subsidiary of the Nest Investment Group), the estate is well-known for its tea plantations but has in recent years diversified its crops to include coffee, of which Syrina is just one of the many cultivars in its portfolio.

Moisture content: 10.1%
Weight loss: 9.2%
Agtron: 78.4 (W) / 128.2 (G) / △49.8