This coffee is a real standout. It’s complex, delicately fruity and sweet.

VARIETAL: SL28

Processing: Washed

Manasseh Kibochi owns Spikes Estate, which is situated at 1700-1800 meters above sea level in the town of Kigumo in Kiambu, Central Kenya. The region of Kiambu is renowned for producing high-quality coffees due to its high altitude, favourable weather, rich soil and traditional farming techniques. These factors contribute to the cultivation of dense, sweet coffee cherries. The coffee we’ve purchased this year from Spikes Estate is graded ‘AA‘, which according to Kenya’s size-based classification system, signifies the largest bean size.

Coffee cherries are selectively hand-picked and pulped promptly with the use of a hand pulper. The pulped coffee is then left to undergo dry- fermentation for 16-24 hours, a process that accelerates fermentation and enhances fruity flavours and acids. The dry-fermented coffee is then washed and soaked in water for a further 24 hours. This secondary wet-fermentation step slows down fermentation reactions, facilitating precise control over the process. Finally, the coffee is dried on raised beds for 10-18 days depending on weather conditions.

The washed process, incorporating both dry and wet-fermentation stages, emphasises the floral, fruity nature, and sweetness of this coffee. The combination of meticulous farming and processing at Spikes Estate distinguishes this coffee as a true standout in quality and flavour.

Coffee is exempt from GST.

This coffee is bright and sweet with notes of toffee and nuts.

Varietal: SL28 | Ruiru 11

Processing: Washed

Ndiwa Estate is situated at an elevation of 1600-1800 meters above sea level in the Kiambu region of Central Kenya. Mwalimu Ndichu Kibe, a retired teacher who began coffee farming in 1965, aims to enhance the quality of his coffee to attract better prices and uplift his family’s livelihood. Collaborating with our suppliers, Sucafina, Mwalimu has availed himself of training opportunities to refine pruning, cultivation, and harvesting techniques. Sucafina also conducts soil analyses to guide appropriate fertilisation methods, aiming to improve yield and quality while minimising costs and environmental impact.

The coffee cherries are meticulously picked when ripe and promptly pulped. Subsequently, the parchment coffee undergoes underwater fermentation for 18 hours or until the mucilage breaks down. After fermentation, the coffee undergoes a thorough washing process to eliminate any residual mucilage. The cleaned parchment coffee is then laid out on elevated drying beds for a period of 7-21 days. The dried parchment coffee is then transported to Sucafina’s microlot dry mill, equipped with high-quality machinery that facilitates hulling small coffee lots. This empowers small farmers to maintain the distinctiveness of their coffee, avoiding the need to blend it with others to meet minimum lot requirements.

The washed process, employing a combination of dry and wet fermentation, accentuates the brightness and sweetness of this coffee.

Coffee is exempt from GST.

This coffee is clean and floral with a delicate sweetness.

Varietal: Batian | Ruiru 11 | SL28 | SL34

Processing: Washed

Rianjagi is a town located in the Embu region of Eastern Kenya. Built in 1976, Rianjagi Factory and Rianjagi Farmers’ Cooperative Society (FCS) are owned by local farmer members. Members receive a variety of supports from the FCS including farm inputs, training and marketing. Farmers delivering to Rianjagi washing station cultivate primarily SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian varieties in small coffee gardens that are, on average, smaller than 1 hectare. ‘SL’ varieties are cultivars originally released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the go-to trees for many growers in Kenya due to their deep root structure, which allows them to maximise scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. They are cultivated with a serious eye towards sustainability and good agricultural practices, with minimal environmental impact where possible. Batian is a relatively new variety introduced by the Kenya Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in 2010. Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both coffee berry disease (CBD) and coffee leaf rust (CLR). The variety has the added benefit of early maturity – cropping after only two years. Similar to Batian, Ruiru 11 is a new variety known for its disease resistance and high yields. It also starts yielding fruit after just 2 years.

The coffee cherries are picked when ripe, and immediately delivered to the Washing Station (Factory). A Cherry Clerk oversees the intake of cherries and ensures only the ripest and highest quality fruit
is accepted. These cherries are then pulped on a disc-pulper and fermented under water for 12-16 hours. The fermented coffee is then washed to remove any remaining mucilage. The cleaned parchment coffee is then laid out to dry on raised drying beds where its regularly raked to ensure even drying.

The washed process using a relatively short period of wet fermentation allows the coffee’s inherent flavour to shine through.

Coffee is exempt from GST.