Kenya

For many cuppers, Kenyan coffee is the global benchmark for acidity and complexity. It is grown in the country's central highlands, between the slopes of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Range, in deep volcanic soils at an altitude of over 1,500 meters. Its two rainy seasons allow for two harvests a year, and most of the coffee is produced by smallholders with plots of barely half a hectare, who deliver the cherries to washing stations managed by cooperatives. There, it is processed using a meticulous washed method, with tank fermentation and slow drying on African beds, resulting in clean, bright, and juicy cups: notes of blackcurrant, red berries, and citrus, with vibrant acidity and a silky body. The historic SL28 and SL34 varieties, selected in the 1930s by Scott Laboratories in Nairobi, now coexist with Ruiru 11 and Batian, which are more resistant to disease. If you enjoy expressive, fruity coffees, Kenya is an origin that will not leave you indifferent.