Shoebox Flight - Washed

Colombia — Fray David Moreno "Rosal" Chiroso (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🫐 Blue Raspberry • 🍊 Mandarin Orange • 🌸 Orange Blossom

DETAILS

• Producer: Fray David Moreno
• Farm: Rosal
• Region: Pabón, Urrao, Colombia
• Varietal: Chiroso
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,900 masl

INTRO From Fray David Moreno's farm "Rosal," beside the Penderisco River in Pabón, Urrao — a remarkably loud and juicy Chiroso with an interesting fermentation character and a lasting floral finish. A process-forward blue raspberry note leads with intense candied sweetness, cooling into mandarin orange and orange blossom tones. In the cup: blue raspberry, mandarin orange, and orange blossom.

THE PRODUCER Rosal sits at 1,900 masl in the small rural town of Pabón, right beside the Penderisco River — an area known for cool breezes and a stable climate, ideal for growing coffee. Fray has been farming coffee for over 25 years, and after seeing the success of his neighbours' Chiroso plots in 2011, decided to plant his own. Fifteen years of experience growing the varietal and refining his techniques have paid off — his Chiroso stood out clearly among Unblended's samples for its loud, juicy, fruited profile.

THE PROCESS This lot is Washed, a method that removes the fruit before fermentation and drying — but here, the fermentation character itself is what stands out, building the intensely candied, juicy blue raspberry note that leads the cup.

The distinctive fermentation profile is the defining detail here — intense without tipping into overt funk, it's what gives this cup its process-forward blue raspberry sweetness while still allowing mandarin orange and orange blossom nuance to shine through as it cools.

THE CUP Loud and juicy — a candied blue raspberry note leads with intense sweetness, cooling into nice mandarin orange and orange blossom tones, with a lasting florality that lingers on the finish.

Flavour Notes 🫐 Blue Raspberry 🍊 Mandarin Orange 🌸 Orange Blossom

Kenya — Kiama FCS Kiangundo Washing Station SL-28, SL-34, Batian & Ruiru (Washed, AA)

Tastes Like — 🍇 White Grape • 🫐 Black Currant • 🍊 Pu-erh Tea Orange

DETAILS

• Producer: 839 smallholder farmers organized around Kiama FCS
• Washing Station: Kiangundo
• Region: Nyeri, Kenya
• Varietal: Field Blend of SL-28, SL-34, Batian & Ruiru
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,800 masl

INTRO A classical black currant cup from Kiangundo washing station in Nyeri — a delightful companion coffee to the predominantly red-fruited Ichuga from the same cooperative. Blackberry and black currant jump to the top of the palate while hot, giving way to cleaner tones of white grape, orange blossom, and black tea, reminiscent of a pu-erh tea orange. In the cup: white grape, black currant, and pu-erh tea orange.

THE PRODUCER Within the Kiama FCS, Kiangundo operates at a scale similar to Ichuga, with 839 members delivering cherry to the site at 1,800 masl. Jackson Mahu Kooro, an active Kiama member who also delivers cherry to Ichuga, now oversees operations at Kiangundo after 17 years working there as a machine operator. Through Jackson's dedication and the work of five permanent on-site staff, Kiangundo's quality has remained stable year over year.

THE PROCESS This lot is Washed, a method that removes the fruit before fermentation and drying — letting the field blend's naturally bright, black-fruited character come through clearly, building the blackberry and black currant intensity that opens this cup before the cleaner grape, orange blossom, and black tea notes emerge.

THE CUP Classically black currant-driven — blackberry and black currant jump to the top of the palate while hot, giving way to cleaner white grape, orange blossom, and black tea as it cools, reminiscent of a pu-erh tea orange.

Flavour Notes 🍇 White Grape 🫐 Black Currant 🍊 Pu-erh Tea Orange

Kenya — Kiama FCS Ichuga Washing Station SL-28, SL-34, Batian & Ruiru (Washed, AA)

Tastes Like — 🍒 Black Cherry Cola • 🍇 Red Currant • 🌼 Honeysuckle

DETAILS

• Producer: 835 smallholder farmers organized around Kiama FCS
• Washing Station: Ichuga
• Region: Nyeri, Kenya
• Varietal: Field Blend of SL-28, SL-34, Batian & Ruiru
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,800 masl (average)

INTRO A classically processed, double-washed lot from Ichuga washing station in Nyeri — exactly what you'd expect from a Nyeri coffee. Red currant and black cherry cola lead, with abundant citric aromatics of lemon and lime zest, before a beautiful honeysuckle floral note rises as it cools and lingers long into the finish. In the cup: black cherry cola, red currant, and honeysuckle.

THE PRODUCER Ichuga washing station is owned by the Kiama Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS) and managed by Stephen Kinyua, processing cherry for over 835 smallholder farmers across the surrounding Nyeri county. On average, these farmers tend to just half a hectare or fewer than 300 trees, growing at roughly 1,800 masl. Kiama FCS was established in 2005 after a merger between two neighbouring co-ops, eventually growing to represent over 3,000 smallholders across four washing stations — Gachuiro, Kiangundo, Ichuga, and Kiamaina. Following 2023 government reforms that changed how Kenyan coffee exports are handled, Kiama obtained its own export license, allowing it to bargain directly with buyers and better advocate for fairer prices on behalf of its members.

THE PROCESS This lot is a classically processed, double-washed Kenyan coffee — cherries are pulped, fermented, and washed twice, a method that builds the clean, red-fruit-forward character and citric brightness typical of Nyeri.

The double-wash process is the defining step — it's what produces the abundant citric aromatics and clean red currant and cherry cola character, while allowing the honeysuckle florality to fully emerge as the cup cools.

THE CUP Red fruit-forward and citric — red currants and black cherry cola up front, with lemon and lime zest aromatics throughout. A beautiful honeysuckle floral tone rises as it cools, lingering long on the finish.

Flavour Notes 🍒 Black Cherry Cola 🍇 Red Currant 🌼 Honeysuckle