Dear coffee subscriber,
Finally, the moment we have all been waiting for. This year’s Kenyan coffees have arrived and we are sending out three really tasty ones this month.
There were a lot of changes in the way coffee was handled and traded in Kenya this year, which meant it was a bit challenging to get samples of the coffees from the peak of the harvest early enough to get the coffees shipped as early as we normally expect. In addition there were tensions in the Red Sea that meant container ships refused to sail through the Suez canal and therefore took a different route around Africa via Asia to Oslo.
This is why the coffees arrived over a month later than usual, but we are very happy that we are able to present to you three very tasty lots of Kenyan coffees in this month’s subscription shipment.
Makena Estate (1st & 4th bag)
Flavour notes
Floral, blackberries & blackcurrants
Producer
Japheth Njue Mwara & John Mwara
Harvest
December 2023
Origin
Gariama, Kirinyaga, Kenya
Process
Washed
Cultivar
SL34, SL28, Ruiru 11 & Batian
Makena is a 20 hectare coffee farm run by Japheth Njue Mwara and his son John Mwara. I visited this farm a few years ago and finally we were able to buy some coffees from this estate.
The farm was one of the first «larger» estates in Kirinyaga and was established in the 1950’s. Therefore it is mainly planted with SL34 and SL28 cultivars as the Ruiru and Batian were released long after the farm was established. However, there is for sure some Ruiru 11 and Batian also in the mix, but still the flavour of the coffee reminds me more of the «old school» Kenyan coffees with pronounced blackberry and blackcurrant flavours that is so common for the SL cultivars from this origin.
Gachatha (2nd & 5th bag)
Flavour notes
Rose hips, hibiscus & rhubarb
Producer
Several smallholder farmers
Harvest
December 2023
Origin
Nyeri, Kenya
Process
Washed
Cultivar
SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 & Batian
The coffees from the Gachatha wet mill has consistently been among the best coffees I have tasted in Kenya over many years and because they produce such consistent high quality there is a big demand for these coffees.
I have visited the Gachatha wet mill several times and been amazed by how much training the cooperative gives to their farmers. They have their own demonstration plot at the wet mill where they can train their members in good agricultural practices and they also grow seedlings of both coffee trees and shade trees that are distributed to their members.
Although most members are still growing the traditional SL28 and SL34 cultivars, we know that they have been planting the new hybrid cultivars Ruiru 11 and a lot of Batian in the recent years. Still the coffee from Gachatha has the recognisable intense fruity flavours, with this years coffee maybe leaning towards lighter red fruits. I get notes of hibiscus, rhubarb, rose hips and red berries.
Kapsokisio (3rd & 6th bag)
Flavour notes
Rose hips, hibiscus & red berries
Producer
Several smallholder farmers
Harvest
December 2023
Origin
Mt. Elgon, Kenya
Process
Washed
Cultivar
K7, SL28 & SL34
About 90% of the farmers who deliver cherries to the Kapsokisio wet mill grow the K7 cultivar, which means only about 10% of the coffee is SL28 and SL34 cultivars . This is probably one of the main reasons why the Kapsokisio coffees taste so different from the coffees from central-Kenya.
When we started buying coffee from Kapsokisio in 2012, the cooperative was struggling with drying capacity during the peak of the harvest, which is when the best coffees are processed. Therefore, in 2013, we decided to invest in building new drying tables at the wet mill in order to increase the drying capacity at the factory. We managed to raise about $10 000 USD from our customers during our 6th and 7th anniversary that was donated to Kapsokisio in order to have new drying beds built.
Ever since we have always been trying to get our hands on some coffee from this wet mill, as it is such a unique coffee with crisp fruity flavours.