"Upon grounding, the coffee has a sweet and fragrant aroma of cranberry, lemon peel and floral notes. At first sip, it starts with a tart and sweet flavour of raspberries and dried cranberries. Followed by the emergence of bright lemon peel, bergamot and fragrant orange blossom aroma intertwining a delicate and charming floral and fruity flavour"

The coffee hails from Rukera Farm, which is under the ownership of the Coffee Research Institute (CRI), serving as the central hub for coffee research in Kenya. Within the CRI, there are two primary farms: Jacaranda and Rukira Estate.

Jacaranda Farm primarily serves as a site for research and experimentation, while Rukera Farm operates commercially, aiming to generate revenue to support research endeavors. In the 1990s, these two units were placed under unified management, expanding to encompass both commercial and research activities.

The synergy between these activities proved beneficial, with Rukera producing some of the finest coffee in Kenya. At the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), various coffee varieties have been developed and optimized for specific conditions. At Rukera Estate, varieties such as SL 28 & 34, K7, Ruiru 11 (R11), and Batian are cultivated.

In this particular batch, we feature a special selection of the R11 variety. This single-origin offering is somewhat rare in the specialty coffee realm, where blends typically incorporate SL 28, 34, R11, and Batian, resulting in a unique flavor profile influenced by factors like altitude and rainfall. Specific ratios are often undisclosed, contributing to the distinctiveness of the blend. For instance, SL 28 thrives above 1650 meters but may suffer under heavy rainfall, whereas SL 34 performs well in high rainfall regions. Ruiru 11 boasts high productivity but demands careful handling to maintain quality akin to SL varieties.

There's a common saying that a cup of Ruiru 11 coffee can sometimes be described as straightforward and lacking in complexity.While it's widely acknowledged that the delicacy of Kenyan coffee stems from SL varieties and Ruiru 11 contributes to quantity, our experience with this single-origin R11 selection challenges these notions.

The R11 beans in this selection undergo traditional Kenyan washed processing.

Variety : R11
Altituded : 1500 to 1800 masl
Process : Kenya Washed
Origin : Ruiru, Kiambu