warm · caramel · woody
3.5%
essential oil yield
of dry bark
75%
US cinnamon market
Korintje dominates supermarket shelves
Mount Kerinci
Sumatran origin
1500–1800 m volcanic slopes
6 years
tree to first harvest
then 10–15 more of strip cycles
Korintje cinnamon is the dried inner bark of Cinnamomum burmannii, an evergreen laurel native to the highlands of western Sumatra, sold almost universally in the United States as simply "cinnamon." The name comes from the Kerinci Valley -- rendered Korintje by Dutch colonial traders -- a high caldera lake region straddling West Sumatra and Jambi provinces where the species grows wild and has been cultivated for export since at least the seventeenth century. The bark carries cinnamaldehyde at 2 to 4 percent, lower than Saigon cassia but with a sweeter, less aggressive profile that bakers prefer. The grading system is uniquely Indonesian: Type A (also called AA or KA) denotes the thinnest, most tightly rolled quills with the highest volatile-oil content; Type B and C are progressively thicker and woodier. Korintje dominates about 70 percent of the US cinnamon market by volume, though most consumers never learn its name. The coumarin content is the persistent controversy: Cinnamomum burmannii contains 0.3 to 1.2 percent coumarin by dry weight, far above the European tolerable daily intake of 0.1 milligrams per kilogram body weight, which has led Germany and the EU to impose import limits that do not apply in the US.
Tasting notes
warm · caramel · woody
A bold cinnamon-candy sweetness up front -- less aggressive than Saigon, rounder than Ceylon -- a resinous-woody midpalate with hints of dried cherry and brown sugar, moderate astringency from the tannin-rich bark, a light camphoraceous note in the background, and a warm lingering finish; the powder colours batter a deep russet-brown and carries a denser sweetness-per-gram than any other cinnamon type on the American market.
Flavor compass
Sumatra-Kerinci (West Sumatra / Jambi highlands), Indonesia.
Top commercial grade exported through Padang port — thick, uniformly red-brown quills with 2.5-3 % essential oil and cinnamaldehyde above 75 %. The standard benchmark for American cinnamon rolls, industrial bakery and spiced coffee.
Second tier from younger trees, slightly thinner quills with 2-2.5 % oil. Sweeter, less intense woody note, preferred by North American craft roasters and spice houses that target a smoother profile for lattes and granola.
Selected lots from the Kerinci volcanic caldera (1 200-1 800 m), harvested from 15-year-old trees at peak bark maturity. Darker colour, 3-4 % oil, long shelf life. Sold under single-estate names to speciality roasters in Portland, Copenhagen and Melbourne.
Cinnamomum burmannii planted on volcanic slopes above Kerinci lake, reaching 6–10 m before the first bark strip.
Peak humidity under 90% lets workers score and peel strips cleanly — dry-season bark cracks and splits.
A curved blade runs two parallel cuts, the inner bark pried off in long sheets 2 m long by 5 cm wide.
Strips dry on bamboo racks for 4–6 days; each sheet curls tightly on itself into the single thick quill that defines Korintje.
Grade A is highest oil (3.5%+) and reddest colour, grade C is younger branch bark with less oil — most US cinnamon is grade B korintje.
Whole quills keep aroma 2+ years; pre-ground loses volatile cinnamaldehyde in 6 months. Grind what you use that week.
The molecules that make it taste like Kampot — and not like anything else.
GC-MS of Cinnamomum burmannii Korintje bark oil: cinnamaldehyde sits at 60–75% of the volatile fraction, the highest among the commercial cassias except for Saigon. The ratio of cinnamaldehyde to eugenol and coumarin defines the country that will buy it.
3.5%
Essential oil
of dry bark
70%
Cinnamaldehyde
of bark oil
2000 ppm
Coumarin
regulatory ceiling concern
80+
Volatile compounds
identified
Warm, spicy-sweet — the cinnamon core.
Floral-fruity — softens the edge.
Clove-like — warmth and depth.
Floral-citrus — brightness.
Hay-vanilla — the regulatory flag.
Woody-peppery — backbone.
| Pepper | Cinnamaldehyde | Oil |
|---|---|---|
★ Korintje (Sumatra) Kerinci · US benchmark, sweet-warm balance | 3.5% | Sweet |
Saigon Vietnam · higher cinnamaldehyde (~80%), premium cassia | 5.0% | Sharp |
China cassia Guangxi · rougher, high coumarin, pharmacy tradition | 2.5% | Harsh |
Ceylon Sri Lanka · true cinnamon, lower cinnamaldehyde (55%), low coumarin | 1.5% | Delicate |
Madagascar cinnamon Cinnamomum zeylanicum · sweeter, more eugenol | 2.5% | Floral |
West Sumatra, Kerinci highlands · est. 1987
“The largest certified organic Korintje shipper from Padang, partnering with the Kerinci Regency cooperatives to supply Frontier Co-op, Starbucks and the American artisan baking scene.”
MethodsBark peeled on a 7-8 year rotation, quills sun-dried 3-5 days on raised platforms then kiln-finished at 35 °C, sorted into A, B and C grades by colour and thickness, steam-sterilised at the Padang plant before export. No chemical fumigation. Full lot traceability via QR codes.
How the world cooks with it.
3 signature dishes
Korintje is the silent star of the American supermarket spice aisle — behind every cinnamon roll, pumpkin pie, snickerdoodle and apple-pie recipe since the early 20th century.
Enriched dough, 3% sugar-cinnamon fill, cream-cheese frosting.
Granny Smith, sugar, butter, one teaspoon of ground korintje.
Soft sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon-sugar before baking.
What it's called, from Phnom Penh to Palermo.
قرفة كورينتجي
qirfa kurintji
印尼肉桂
yinni rougui
Korintje cinnamon
Cannelle de Korintje
Korintje-Zimt
कोरिंटजे दालचीनी
korintje dalchini
Cannella di Korintje
コリンチェシナモン
korinche shinamon
Canela de Korintje
Canela de Korintje
Protein
Plant
Sweet
In the United States, yes — around 75% of the 'cinnamon' sold in American supermarkets is Korintje cassia (Cinnamomum burmannii) from Sumatra. The FDA does not distinguish cassia from true cinnamon, so it can all be labelled 'cinnamon' regardless of species.