After doing our very best to introduce new and exciting origins to our lineup over the last couple of years, we decided it was time to return to an old classic, and one of our favorite origins to source from. Kenyan coffee has been a mainstay in the specialty coffee industry for decades, prized for its unique, dynamic flavor profiles that range from spice, earthiness, to citrusy and berry-forward notes. This particular lot is one we’re excited to share with our community, as it was one of the best Kenyan coffees to land on our cupping table for a long while. Kichwa Tembo translates to “Elephant Head” in Swahili, and represents the efforts of a smallholder producing community that has been growing exceptional coffees for decades. After the coffee cherry is brought in by producers to be milled, the coffee is graded by size, weight, and density and is meticulously sorted for defects. Though there are a number of coffees that pass the specialty mark, only the best, most uniform coffees end up graded as AA, which is considered the very best quality. Since this is a community lot, it contains a number of staple cultivars that thrive in the highlands of Kenya, such as Batian, Ruiru 11, SL-28, and one of our favorites, SL-34. We hope you all are as excited for another year of fresh Kenyan coffees as we are!

These varieties coalesce into something greater than the sum of their parts, with distinct notes of grapefruit, cranberry sauce, and rich baking spices.

Region: Kenya

Producer: Smallholder Producers

Cultivar: Batian, Ruiru 11, SL-28, SL-34

Process: Fully Washed

Altitude: 1220-2300 Masl

Roast Degree: Light

Importer: Cafe Imports

Flavor Notes: Grapefruit, Cranberry Sauce, Baking Spice