From Black & White:

"Each year in September, we curate a very special birthday blend to celebrate the year we've had and to say "Thanks!" for being such a huge part of it. Consider this bag a love letter to you, our patrons and our cheerleaders."

THE BLEND

Every September we release a birthday coffee — a thank you, a celebration, a love letter to everyone who’s been part of the ride. This year marks eight years, and for it we built something bold: a blend that centers on the legendary SL28 variety.

HOW B&W GOT HERE

Specialty coffee has taught us this: efficiency doesn’t always matter. Tiny changes — in a pourover, in a barista routine — transform “good” into “extraordinary.” The same goes for the worlds we drew inspiration from: formula racing and SL28.

Formula racing isn’t efficient. It’s precision, obsession, risk, and expense — all in pursuit of speed and perfection. SL28 is the same. Developed at Scott Labs in Kenya, it’s finicky, costly, low-yielding. But it delivers brightness, fruit complexity, and cup quality that make it globally revered, winning awards and commanding respect wherever it’s grown. Neither was built for the middle lane.

HOW B&W DID IT

We built this blend like a cocktail, layering washed and natural SL28 lots from three countries and some of our closest producer partners:

• Thunguri – Natural (Karatina, Nyeri, Kenya)

• Kirinyaga – Washed (Kenya)

• Benjamin Paz – Natural & Washed (El Cedral, Santa Barbara, Honduras)

• Sagastume Family – SL28 (Santa Barbara, Honduras)

• Wilder Lazo – Natural & Washed (Acevedo, Huila, Colombia)

HOW IT TASTES

Vibrant citrus. Tropical fruit punch. Blackberry jam sweetness. Raw turbinado sugar on the finish keeps it bright and playful, not funky. Built like a cocktail — layered, complex, and alive.

A new expression of SL28, a variety we love, designed to thrill the way racing does: fast, precise, unforgettable. Cheers to eight years — and the road ahead.

Tasting Notes: Blackberry Jam, Citrus, Tropical Punch, Raw Sugar

Producers - New Kiriti Farmers' Coop Society (727 smallholders)

What is the roast recency?

We recommend brewing with beans that are at least two weeks off roast. All beans are roasted to peak flavour at around 6-12 weeks. We have the option to either purchase standard beans (at least 2 weeks but no longer than 6 weeks off roast), or rested beans (at least 7 weeks off roast, no longer than 12 - should we have any left in stock!). For peak flavour, if you are looking to use immediately, we recommend purchasing the rested beans. If you are adding to your rotation of beans, we recommend purchasing the standard and allowing the beans to naturally rest and mature whilst you rotate through other beans.