Kenya — Imani Estate SL34, Ruiru 11 & Various AA (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍓 Raspberry • 🍒 Cherry • 🌹 Wild Roses

DETAILS

• Producer: Imani Estate

• Region: Kiambu, Kenya

• Varietal: SL34, Ruiru 11 & Various (AA Grade)

• Process: Washed

• Altitude: 1,700+ MASL

• Harvest: December 2025

• Size: 250g

INTRO

From the Imani Estate in Kiambu — a stunning AA separation from a nearly 500-acre estate with deep red volcanic soils and an exceptionally well-managed growing and processing environment. A blast of red fruit and wild roses, with layers of dried and fresh fruit sweetness. Crystal clear, high-toned, and spectacular iced. In the cup: raspberry, cherry, and wild roses, with sangria, cranberry, glossy grape, and a citric medley throughout.

THE PRODUCER

Imani Estate covers close to 500 acres in Kiambu County — one of Kenya's most historically celebrated coffee-growing regions, on the fertile volcanic slopes surrounding Nairobi. Of that land, 280 acres are dedicated to forest, dams, marshland, roads, and labour housing — a commitment to environmental stewardship that runs through every aspect of the estate's operation. The natural forest ecosystem is deliberately preserved, supporting rich biodiversity including snakes, deer, hares, weaverbirds, owls, and hawks. Farmers are encouraged to protect indigenous species, and an efficient water recirculation system of 16 lagoons in series manages and purifies all wastewater from the pulping process.

The land features deep, well-drained red volcanic soils — Nitisols and Andosols — that are highly fertile and ideal for coffee production. The cool Kiambu climate, with particularly cold and wet periods between May and July, slows cherry development and extends the maturation period, building the cup quality that this AA separation demonstrates so compellingly.

SL34 — selected from the Typica family by Scott Agricultural Laboratories in the 1930s — is highly regarded for its cup quality and nuance, and forms the backbone of this lot alongside the disease-resistant Ruiru 11 hybrid, with likely contributions from SL28 and other commonly grown Kenyan varieties.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Imani Estate involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Ripe red cherries selectively hand-picked at peak ripeness 🔧 Pulping — Cherries pulped on the day of harvest 🧪 Full fermentation — Beans fully fermented to break down all mucilage 💧 Washing — Thoroughly washed after fermentation ♻️ Water recirculation — Wastewater managed through a 16-lagoon purification system to minimise environmental impact ☀️ Drying — Thoroughly dried before storage in well-ventilated bins

The same-day pulping and full fermentation are the defining steps — by processing cherries immediately on the day of harvest and fermenting fully, Imani Estate builds the exceptional brightness, clean red fruit intensity, and crystal clarity that make this AA lot so spectacular — especially as an iced coffee.

THE CUP

A stunning and crystal-clear AA-grade washed Kenyan from one of Kiambu's most ecologically conscientious and beautifully managed estates — raspberry and cherry sweetness, wild rose florality, cranberry tartness, sangria depth, glossy grape richness, and a citric medley acidity in a high-toned, layered, and deeply rewarding cup. Favourite for iced coffee. A stunning expression of Kiambu at its finest.

Flavour Notes

🍓 Raspberry 🍒 Cherry 🌹 Wild Roses