A Rare Treat From East Africa: Our exclusive single origin Kenyan AA coffee

Think of Kenya and you probably escape to a world of safaris, the Big Five and noble Maasai herdsmen. We don’t. We think coffee. Exceptional coffee, grown in the fertile highlands around Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Range north of Nairobi where the rich volcanic soils and high altitudes produce coffees with bright, juicy acidity and complexity.

We’re always seeking to introduce new and interesting flavours, so we wanted to bring you a single-origin Kenyan coffee from Kiambu County, known for producing coffees with a rich, fruity character and crisp acidity.

Talk about terroir

Just as wine buffs often refer to ‘terroir’ in reference to the soil, topography and climate in which grapes are grown, the same concept applies to coffee. Terroir plays a major role in determining flavour and quality.

Kiambu is in the Central Highlands that stretch from the southern slopes of Mount Kenya to the northern outskirts of Nairobi. It’s an area blessed with terroir ideally suited to high quality coffee as well as farmers and processors who have a tradition of coffee production going back generations.

Rich volcanic soils provide ideal growing conditions for coffee plants, which flourish in the shade of mango, guava and loquat trees. The natural fertilisation from fallen fruit contributes to sweet, fruity notes that we enhance in the roast.

The elevation—between 1500m to 2000m—makes for cooler nights, which means the coffee cherries ripen slowly allowing the beans to develop deeper, more complex flavours.

Washed and dried

Essentially, there are six different processing methods used by growers around the globe, of which the two most common are natural and washed (or wet-processed).

Our Kenya Single Origin Coffee is a washed coffee, which results in a cleaner, brighter, more acidic cup that zings on the nose and the palate.

Soon after the cherries are picked, they are depulped and fermented before the fleshy part, known as mucilage, is ‘washed’ away. The beans are dried on raised beds, which takes between 12 and 20 days depending on the weather and are turned regularly to ensure even drying.

The best of the best

Our Kenya Single Origin is AA grade coffee. Sounds good but what does it mean? Simply that, in the grading system most commonly associated with Kenyan coffee, the beans are among the largest and highest quality.

Beans are screened, using a system of holes through which smaller beans fall, so they are graded by size. The bigger beans (7.2 to 7.8mm in diameter) are reserved for the highest quality AA coffees.

AA grade beans produce a more flavoursome, more complex and nuanced cup; also, larger beans tend to roast more evenly, resulting in a balanced, consistent flavour profile across each batch.

Variety is the spice of life

Single Origin coffees offer a distinctly different flavour experience from Classico, our house blend. They are not intended to be a better cup, but rather an alternative, distinguished by the particular characteristics of their origin.

We want to offer you the finest coffees from carefully selected origins and this is Kenyan coffee at its very best. Fantastic quality, harvested and processed with care, roasted to perfection.

Classico will most probably remain your go-to Italian-style espresso—perfect for lattes, flat whites, cortados, whatever your coffee schtick is at the moment—but every Single Origin is selected to provide a refreshing counterpoint. These coffees reflect the area they come from, in much the same way a Grand Cru wine embodies the soil, water and viticulture of a specific terroir, with exceptional complexity and subtlety.

Seasonality is key

Timing is important, too. Not many people realise that coffee is a seasonal crop, even at the equator. Kenya Single Origin Coffee is at its peak right now and our roasters have released the first batches in the last few weeks. Get it while you can. It really is a gem.

Passion for production

It’s also important to stress that the quality of the cup in your hands is determined by the care and love that goes into growing plants, tending the soil, picking the fruit, processing the cherries, selecting the best beans and roasting with full appreciation of the characteristics of a particular crop. Good coffee is about good people. Passionate people. 

And we’re very passionate. So we’ve roasted this coffee to highlight its natural sweetness and brightness. Expect a bright, beguiling cup with the fruitiness of blackcurrant underpinned by hints of sweet maple syrup.

Enjoy every sip.