Producer: Abadatezuka Coop
Farm: Smallholders
Region: Nayamasheke District, Western Province
Altitude: 1,850-2,200 masl | 6,070-7,218 feet
Varietal: Bourbon
Process: Washed
Roast: Light
Notes: Blackberry, Caramel Apple, Rye

This limited offering was sourced by our friends at Cafe Imports.

Abadatezuka Cooperative is a group of smallholder farmers in Rwanda's Western Province who deliver their cherries to the Cyato Washing Station in the Nayamasheke district. The producers here grow coffee at elevations all the way up to 2,200 meters above sea level, and the washing station is located at 1,850 meters above sea level. The washing station was established in 2017.

Native honeybees that live in and around the Nyungwe forest, where the coffee is grown, are said to be responsible in part for the unique profile of this coffee. Fertile soil (black humus and sandy soil) and a cool climate (thanks to the area's proximity to Lake Kivu) also contribute. The farmers use no synthetic inputs, either as fertilizers or as pest control.

Microlots from Rwanda are traceable to the cooperative and washing-station level, and are selected on the basis of cup quality. These lots are separated out from the bulk day lots that the washing station produces, and represent the highest quality Rwandan offerings on our list.

The washed process in Rwanda includes a unique soaking step, not unlike that often found in Kenya. The cherries are delivered to central processing units the day they are harvested, where they are depulped and fermented in open-air tanks made of concrete or cement for 12-18 hours. After fermentation, the coffees are soaked in water for 24 hours and their mucilage removed before being spread on raised beds to dry.