August Roaster’s Choice: Law Wu Natural Coffee

For our August Roaster’s Choice, we’re returning to a village that holds a special place in Lanna Coffee’s story: Law Wu in Northern Thailand.

We’ve released several exceptional coffees from Law Wu over the years, including washed, black honey, and anaerobic lots. Each one has shown us a different expression of this high-elevation origin. This month, we’re excited to share something new: our first natural-process coffee from Law Wu.

Law Wu Natural is bright, fruit-forward, and wonderfully sweet. Its medium, syrupy body makes it expressive enough for adventurous coffee drinkers while remaining balanced and approachable.

A Special Coffee Origin in Northern Thailand

Law Wu is a remote Lahu village located high in the mountains of Chiang Mai province at approximately 1,700 meters above sea level. Fewer than 30 families live in the community, where coffee trees grow beneath natural forest shade alongside crops such as banana and macadamia.

The village’s elevation and cool mountain climate allow coffee cherries to ripen slowly. This gradual development helps build the sweetness, acidity, and complexity that have made Law Wu one of the Thai coffee origins we most look forward to sharing.

Farming here requires patience and considerable physical effort. Coffee trees are scattered across steep hillsides, and the cherries must be selectively harvested by hand. During the rainy season, mountain roads can become difficult or impossible to navigate. Farmers sometimes carry heavy bags of harvested coffee on foot to move them out of the village.

The People Behind Law Wu Coffee

During a recent origin trip, we had the opportunity to visit Law Wu and speak with two community leaders, Teerapap and Liki. Their families care for thousands of coffee trees on small mountain farms, working together throughout the growing and harvest seasons.

They described how coffee has created new opportunities for families in the village. Before coffee became an important crop, many residents depended heavily on growing corn, which required intensive labor while providing limited income. Coffee has helped families remain in Law Wu, support their children’s education, and build a more sustainable livelihood within their community.

Harvest takes place from approximately November through January, when the cherries reach their deepest red color. Families and neighbors work together during this busy period, carefully picking ripe fruit and preparing it for processing.

“Knowing people enjoy our coffee in places we’ve never been—it makes us proud of what we do.”

That connection is something we think about each time we roast and share a coffee from Law Wu.

What Is Natural-Process Coffee?

Natural processing is one of the oldest methods of preparing coffee after harvest. Instead of removing the fruit immediately, ripe coffee cherries are dried with the fruit still surrounding the seeds.

As the cherries dry, the coffee remains in contact with the fruit for an extended period. This can contribute greater sweetness, a fuller texture, and more pronounced fruit characteristics in the finished cup. Once the cherries have reached the proper moisture level, the dried fruit is removed and the green coffee is prepared for export.

Natural processing requires close attention throughout drying. When handled carefully, it can reveal a vibrant and expressive side of a coffee’s origin. For this Law Wu lot, the process complements the sweetness created by the village’s cool, high-elevation growing conditions.

What Does Law Wu Natural Taste Like?

Law Wu Natural opens with a rich, fruit-forward sweetness reminiscent of raspberry jam. As the coffee cools, a buttery shortbread cookie character brings balance and softness to the cup. A deeper note of raisin carries into the finish.

We recommend starting with a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio. A pour-over will emphasize the coffee’s bright fruit and clarity, while a drip brewer can bring out more of its syrupy sweetness and cookie-like character.

A New Expression of Law Wu

One of the most exciting parts of working with coffee from a single community over multiple harvests is seeing how processing changes what we experience in the cup. This natural lot is distinctly different from the washed, anaerobic, and honey-process Law Wu coffees we’ve previously released, yet it still carries the sweetness and structure we associate with the village.

Law Wu Natural is available as our August Roaster’s Choice for a limited time. We’re honored to share another chapter in the story of this remarkable community—and especially excited for you to taste Law Wu’s first natural-process release with us.

Shop Law Wu Natural