Tasting Notes: Black Tea, Prune, Molasses
Region: Kayanza
Growing Elevation: 1,800 - 2,000 masl
Producer:
Various smallholder producers
Variety: Red Bourbon
Process: Washed
It is rare that we have a Burundi offering, and this one was too good to pass up!
Sourced through our friends at Red Fox Coffee Merchants, this coffee stood out on the table for its rich body and unique flavor profile. The fragrance opens with dark sweetness and warming spices, leading into flavors of dried dark fruits — prune, raisin, and fig. The finish lingers like a well-steeped black tea, with a pointed acidity of orange citrus.
Burundi is a small, landlocked nation in East Africa bordered by Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Lake Tanganyika. Coffee is a vital cash crop here, providing smallholder families with the income needed for education, livestock, and essential household needs. These coffees are grown at altitudes ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 meters above sea level in rich red clay soils, in a region locals refer to as the "up country" — bordering the vast Kibira National Forest, where a dense canopy creates a microclimate of cooler temperatures and higher rainfall.
Cherries from the Kayanza area are delivered to the Umoco washing station — whose name means "light" in Kirundi — where the coffee undergoes a double-fermentation process of 12 hours wet fermentation followed by another 12 hours in cement tanks. The parchment is then dried for 20 to 25 days on traditional African raised beds.
Red Fox remains committed to supporting Burundian producers by opening new markets and helping them secure competitive, sustainable prices. We are grateful for that relationship and proud to bring this rare offering to you!
