Tasting notes: Blackcurrant, Blackberry, Floral

As the leaves change and autumn sets into place, we have the perfect coffee to help ease this transition: a floral tasting, washed Kenya. We detect the tart, earthy notes of black currant, which are nicely balanced by a tart sweetness, like from a blackberry. This coffee pairs nicely with the brisk air of the season and a walk up Mont Royal, under a canopy of changing foliage.

The beans come from Kathakwa Factory, which sits on the slopes of Mount Kenya in the Manyatta division of Embu County. Rich volcanic soil, an annual rainfall of almost 1,500m, and the abundance of SL 28 and SL 34 varieties all lend immense quality to the production of coffee in this specific area. At Kathakwa, there’s an ongoing effort to increase training seminars and access to education and sustainable processes for the farmers they work with. They also maintain a demonstration plot that farmers can visit and reference in relation to their own plots.

FOB price: $4.35 USD/lb

Country: Embu County, Kenya
Varietals: SL28, SL34
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1600m