Kenya — Rungeto Farmers Cooperative, Kii Washing Station, SL-28 & SL-34 (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍵 White Tea • 🍑 Flat Peach • 🍋 Candied Lemon

DETAILS

• Producer: Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society
• Station: Kii Washing Station
• Region: Kirinyaga, Kenya
• Varietal: SL-28, SL-34, Batian, Ruiru-11
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,310–1,900 MASL
• Harvest: 2024/25
• Size: 250g

INTRO

Kenyan coffees are celebrated for their intense fruitiness and bright acidity, and this lot from the Kii Washing Station exemplifies everything we love about the origin. Expect notes of flat peach, candied lemon, and a herbal quality reminiscent of white tea — all supported by a creamy, dense body and a mellow acidity that fills the mouth.

THE PRODUCER

The Kii Washing Station was built in 1995 and belongs to the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society, a cooperative that brings together more than 850 small producers from the Kibugu district in the heart of Kirinyaga. Located at the foot of Mount Kenya, the station takes its name from the Kii River, which provides the crystal-clear water used in processing.

The cooperative model ensures that smallholders have access to the infrastructure and expertise needed to produce exceptional coffee. By pooling resources and sharing knowledge, the members of Rungeto have established a reputation for consistent quality that commands premium prices in the speciality market.

THE PROCESS

The Washed Process at Kii Washing Station involves:

• 🍒 Selective Harvesting — Only fully ripe cherries are picked by hand
• 💧 Wet Fermentation — Cherries are pulped and fermented in water to remove mucilage
• 💧 Channel Washing — Parchment is washed in clean water channels to remove residue
• ☀️ Raised Bed Drying — Beans are dried slowly on raised African beds, turned regularly
• ✅ Quality Control — Lots are graded by density and screen size before export

This meticulous process develops the bright, clean profile that makes Kenyan coffee so distinctive.

THE CUP

You'll find notes of flat peach, candied lemon, and a herbal note reminiscent of white tea in the cup. It's a coffee with a creamy, dense body, very sweet, with a mellow acidity that fills the mouth. You may also notice aromas and flavours of pears in syrup, flower honey, and yellow kiwi. The aftertaste is long and very pleasant.

Flavour Notes

• 🍵 White Tea
• 🍑 Flat Peach
• 🍋 Candied Lemon