Chikmagalur

Chikmagalur in Karnataka is considered the birthplace of Indian coffee, where legend holds that the Sufi saint Baba Budan smuggled seven coffee beans from Yemen in the 17th century. The region's Baba Budan Hills and surrounding Western Ghats provide shade-grown conditions under native forest canopy alongside pepper, cardamom, and other spice crops. Chikmagalur coffees are known for their full body, low acidity, and complex spice notes with chocolate and nutty undertones that reflect the intercropping environment. Both Arabica and Robusta thrive here, with the S795 hybrid and Kent variety being the most widely planted Arabica cultivars. India's unique Monsooned Malabar process, while not exclusive to Chikmagalur, often begins with beans from this region.