Kurtis is Back: A Field Report From Papua New Guinea

Every time I step off the plane in Papua New Guinea, the air hits me like an aromatic thunderclap, equal parts eucalyptus, diesel, and the promise of something extraordinary. This year was no different. The roosters still cackle at odd hours, the mountains still loom like ancient prophets, and the coffee? Well, let’s just say the beans are still singing their complex little arias into the cupping bowls.

Sigri Estate—The Crown Jewel Still Sparkles

Sigri is more than just a coffee estate. It’s a cathedral of terroir, shaded by towering casuarinas and vibrating with biodiversity. I cupped with the QC team under the humming fan blades of the lab and rediscovered a familiar face in a new outfit Big Red.

This coffee strutted across my palate like James Brown in his prime: juicy, assertive, funky in all the right ways. A showstopper. It reminded me why we do what we do.

Giving Back Without the White Savior Complex

Benchmark’s ethos has always been rooted in reciprocity. Not charity, not ego-tripping benevolence but partnership. This year, it took the shape of a brand-new library built for a local school. Books in Tok Pisin, books in English, books with pictures and possibilities.

I even sat with a few local politicians in plastic chairs, under the skeptical eyes of a goat. Somehow, I made the local news. My hair looked ridiculous. The message landed anyway.

New Friends, New Coffees, New Stories Brewing

Perhaps the most exciting part of the trip wasn’t what I expected - it rarely is. I ventured deeper into the highlands, cupping off-grid, tracking down micro-lots to their exact villages, where the flavor of the land whispers from the cup like a well-kept secret. I made friends. I laughed. I listened. And I brought back more samples than I brought back stories.

You’ll taste them soon.