From India. Highest body, lowest acidity, with a characteristic earthiness and musty overtones. Often used to enhance an espresso blend.

This coffee gets its unique characteristics (heavy body, earthiness, and low acidity) by mimicking the sea journey used centuries ago. Before the creation of the Suez Canal, coffee was shipped from India to Europe around Africa's Cape of Good Hope. The Indian coffee went from tropical humid heat to freezing sea air back to tropical humid heat to the European port over a 1 or 2 month period. This caused the beans to bleach and swell. Europeans became accustomed to this different taste, and when shorter (and more airtight) means of shipment arrived, coffee drinkers missed the distinctive 'Malabar' taste.

Today these beans are left out on the outdoor drying beds in India for a few months to try to duplicate the sea line effect. The coffee is most commonly used as a blender in an espresso blend, but is drunk straight by a few devoted fans.