Rwanda Karambi Station Natural

Details

Coffee Review: 93 points

Blind Assessment: Crisply tart, sweetly herbaceous. Tangerine, thyme, tea rose, fresh-cut oak, baking chocolate in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with brisk acidity; satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The citrusy finish leads with notes of tangerine and tea rose.

Notes: Produced by smallholding farmers surrounding the Karambi Washing Station (two-thirds of whom are women) entirely of the Bourbon variety of Arabica, and processed by the natural method (dried in the whole fruit). RamsHead Coffee Roasters is a family-owned company founded by Bozeman, Montana natives Caleb and Laura Walker that specializes in direct trade microlot coffees.

The Bottom Line: A clean natural-processed Rwanda cup with an especially appealing, satiny body and a balance of citrus, chocolate and herb notes.

About the Coffee: Karambi is in the Nyamasheke district has the highest concentration of green coffee washing stations in Rwanda, and that means the competition is fierce to buy and sell only the highest quality coffee in the region. That’s why the Karambi Washing Station is full of energy and is always bustling with meticulous activity in every step of coffee production.

Over two thirds of the farmers who deliver cherry to Karambi are women, and many have agronomic training. From the moment coffee cherries reach the Karambi Washing Station, they pass through stringent quality controls and multiple sorting checks before they even reach the drying beds. The station employs up to 120 staff in the peak season to ensure experienced workers manage every step in quality control.

Strong acidity and fruitiness are characteristic of coffee from the Nyamasheke area, where good altitude, excellent soil, and favorable rainfall make up ideal coffee-growing conditions. This Karambi Natural, of the Bourbon variety, also features spice notes and a smooth and balanced profile that always keeps roasters coming back for more.

Tasting Notes: Strawberry, White Grape, Honey