Kenya — Florence & Jessica Marigi Malaki Estate Field Blend (Washed)*

Tastes Like — 🫐 Blackcurrant • 🌿 Rhubarb • 🌺 Hibiscus

DETAILS

• Producers: Florence & Jessica Marigi
• Farm: Malaki Estate
• Region: Kiambu, Kenya
• Varietal: Field Blend* (believed main Kenyan SL varieties)
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,900 masl
• Harvest: December 2025

INTRO SEY's first year working with Florence and Jessica Marigi — their farm, Malaki, sits at very high elevation in Kiambu, one of the more intriguing coffee-producing regions in central Kenya. A dark fruit profile leads: blackcurrant, rhubarb, and hibiscus. In the cup: blackcurrant, rhubarb, and hibiscus.

THE PRODUCER Malaki Estate is run by the mother-and-daughter team of Florence and Jessica Marigi. Originally planted in 1969 by Florence's husband, Edward Marigi, Malaki is one of the few farms in Kiambu that has never introduced hybrid varieties, electing instead to continue growing the older, traditional Kenyan selections. Located at high elevation on the western slopes of the Aberdare range, the estate also produces macadamia and avocados.

This lot is believed to be composed entirely of the main Kenyan SL varieties, though recent genetic testing on other Kenyan farms has begun to challenge long-held assumptions about which varieties are actually being cultivated — an ongoing research project, with updated findings to come as the story develops.

THE PROCESS The Washed process at Malaki involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — cherries harvested at peak ripeness 💧 Floating — floated to remove low-density defects 🌱 Same-day de-pulping — de-pulped on the day of harvest ⏱️ Dry fermentation — fermented dry for 36-48 hours ☀️ Raised-bed drying — dried on raised beds until moisture reaches roughly 10%

THE CUP Dark and structured — blackcurrant depth up front, rhubarb tartness through the middle, and a hibiscus finish. A striking first look at Malaki's traditional, hybrid-free growing approach.

Flavour Notes 🫐 Blackcurrant 🌿 Rhubarb 🌺 Hibiscus