We are happy to introduce two Rwandan coffees as our first of 2019. Tumba Village and Bakure Farm coffees come from similar regions of Rwanda, but are very different coffees in the end.
We worked our friends over at Crop to Cup Importers to source each of these coffees. Last year Crop to Cup also helped us source our Mwalyego AA and Kossa Geshe. If you remember those coffees you will understand the quality that is expected.
Tumba Village is a washed process coffee from Rulindo District of the Northern Province that comes from Kinini Coffee Co-op. Kinini Coffee built an amazing model where they provided farmers who were not previously coffee farmers with the coffee plants, technical expertise, washing station, mills and means to export there coffee from the ground up. Only four years into this venture they have truly great coffee because of their energy and attention to detail.
We love this coffee for its amazing lemonade flavor that bursts onto your pallet as you start sipping it. As you continue to drink sweet flavors and an often a distinct Earl Grey tea with lemon notes.
Tumba Village: Picking done by hand to ensure only best make the final lot
Bukure Farm is natural processed coffee from the Gicumbi District. Also from the Northern Province but from the Nova Coffee team. This team is made up of Felix Hitayezu and his wife Agnes Mukamushinia. Felix, previously a pharmacist and Agnes a nurse have built Nova Coffee around a previously decrepit washing station in Bukure Village. They rebuilt the washing station as a women centered washing station with the goal to produce high quality coffee and create jobs that would lift up the community.
This coffee has dried fruit tasting notes that are not overpowering but welcoming. Additional flavors of nougat and some blackberry wine notes come through. We think this coffee delicious and an example of a great Rwandan natural coffee.
Bukure Farm: Raised drying beds to ensure proper ventilation as the coffee cherries dry