Coffee, like any other fruit, is a seasonal product. Within a year of harvesting, we see a considerable drop in quality. Bright, fruity notes give way to dry, woody ones as the green coffee begins to lose organic material. Thankfully, there are enough different coffee producing countries around the world there is always something tasting fresh and vibrant. The winter months tend to be a little less exciting for coffee enthusiasts, but there are a few notable exceptions. One of those is Burundi.
Our Burundi, Matongo comes to us from the Bwayi Washing Station and our partners at Cafe Imports. Like many East African countries, most farmers in Burundi don't have the infrastructure to process the coffee themselves, so groups of small farmers organize into cooperatives, usually centered around a washing station. The farmers who grew this coffee received a premium for the exceptional quality, which has a impact on every step of the supply chain.
In the cup we taste honey crisp apples and grapefruit with floral aromatics. This coffee also has an herbaceous quality common to Burundian coffees. It's a dynamic, complex cup of coffee that is bound to be a favorite of any fan of East African coffees. Burundi, Matongo is available in our webstore and all of our cafés.