Malabar, is a process applied to coffee beans. The harvested coffee seeds are exposed to the monsoon rain and winds for a period of about three to four months, causing the beans to swell and lose the original acidity, resulting in a flavor profile with a practically neutral pH balance. The coffee is unique to the Malabar Coast and the Nilgiri mountains of Tamil Nadu and has protected status under India's Geographical indications of Goods Act.

The brew is heavy bodied, pungent, and considered to be dry with a musty, chocolatey aroma and notes of spice and nuts.