Premium | Kenya Gichathaini AB 250 gm

Specifications

• Region: Nyeri, Kenya
• Varietal: SL-28, SL-34
• Process: Washed/Raised Beds, Sun Dried
• Altitude: 1,900 - 2,000 MASL
• Notes: Stunning flavour profiles of bright fruits and aromatic spices that lead to a long, contemplative finish. Notes of lemony citrus, orange spice tea, cranberry cocktail, green apple, mulled cider, and Earl Grey.

Roast Profile

Light to Medium

Farm Notes

This lot of Gichathaini is the AB grade selection from a wet mill in Nyeri, called Gichathaini. The wet mill (called a "Factory" in Kenya) is one third of the Gikanga Farmer's Cooperative Society.

This coffee was not bought through the Kenya auction, but rather, in a more direct way with the cooperative. Like most of the region, the farmer members of Gichathaini work on very small plots of land. Many have less than one hectare of land, and the preferred cultivars are SL-28, and SL-34 bourbon selections, known for good cup quality, especially when growing conditions are favourable.

This region has very good altitude, starting at roughly 1900 meters above sea level, and topping out around 2000.

Cupping Notes

Gichathaini AB smells potent from the grinder. Fruit notes seem to cover a lot of ground at City roast level, with hints of red punch, mango, and berry, and a fragrant baking spice note. 

The wet aroma produces more complex sugar smells than fruit, like cooked sugars with a slightly caramelized sweetness. Breaking the crust released a red raisin note too. The cup is somewhere in between these two extremes, with lively acidity that ties it together.

City roasts give off some raw sugar notes in the sweetness. A grabby citrus flavour illuminates the cup profile, highlighted by a flavour note that brought to mind slightly under ripe orange. Top notes touch on dried fruits and baking spices, bringing together flavour profiles of orange spice tea, cranberry cocktail, and mulled cider. 

The cup aroma is stunning, and contemplative in a long aftertaste. The bright acidity is lemony at first, then along with the flavour profile, shifts to green apple, and the tannic notes and spiced aroma in the finish colour in tea-like flavours of Earl Grey with bergamot oil.