Rwanda Karambi Washed

Cupping Notes: Pear, Prune, Vanilla, White Wine

Description: The Karambi Washing station is in the Nyamasheke district of Rwanda, the district with the highest density of washing stations in the whole country, and for good reason. Running alongside the Kivu Lake - the soil, altitude, and rainfall in this region are perfect for growing specialty coffee. The washing station itself was built in 2016, bordering the Nyungwe Forest National Park, and employs up to 125 people in the peak season.

Karambi has very high standards for sorting and processing cherries. Because the area has so many washing stations, Karambi has to accept all qualities of cherry, so that farmers don’t just take their coffee to someone who will accept it all. This means that Karambi has to take extra care of their specialty lots. This starts with a Pinhalese depulper that removes 80% of mucilage before fermentation. The coffee goes through 10 hours of fermentation, and finishes drying on raised beds.

This lot arrived cupping really well with the acidity of a Chardonnay, sweetness of Prunes, delicate notes of Pear and Melon, with a nice linger of Vanilla.