Harley Estate: Sakleshpur

Coffee from the Manjarabad hills doesn’t just grow, it’s cared for, season after season. This land’s been home to coffee since the 1860s, back when it was a British plantation. Today, it’s run by Mr. DM Purnesh, fourth generation, and his daughters, Chandini and Tapaswini. It’s more than a family business. It’s something they live and breathe.

Across 500 acres, Arabica and Robusta grow side by side, under the shade of silver oak, fig, and jackfruit trees. Cardamom, pepper, areca nut, even cocoa, they all share the space. Nothing forced. Everything in rhythm. And when it’s time to wash the beans, they use natural spring water from the estate. That kind of clarity shows up in the cup.

Mr. Purnesh and his team don’t chase trends. They experiment, they listen, they refine. Fermentations, inoculations—these aren’t just techniques. They’re tools in the hands of people who care deeply about what they’re making. The machines help, sure. But it’s the people behind them that matter.