Tasting Notes: Berry, Dark Chocolate, Cardamom

Variety: Bourbon

Processing: Washed

Origin: Kayanza, Burundi

Producers: Salum Ramadhan

Altitude: 1900m

This washed coffee comes to us from the Mbirizi washing station, which is another of Salum Ramadhan's washing stations in Kayanza, Burundi. This station is located high up on the Nyabihanga hillside and receives some of the highest grown coffees that Salum processes. They've invested heavily in shade-drying equipment at Mbirizi which allows the coffee to dry more evenly and makes it easier for sorters to pick out defective beans early-on in the drying process since they're easier to see in the shade. It's a small change that can have a great impact on cup quality later on, and it's great to see producers like Salum investing in facilities that will continue to improve the already stellar coffees coming out of Burundi.

Mbirizi #1 is a bold coffee with robust flavors and a heavy body. We taste a berry sweetness combined with a dark chocolate note that gives the cup a decadent, dessert-like quality. Interestingly, there's a note of spice to this brew that reminds us of something like cardamom, and it interacts very well with the chocolate flavor to produce a cup that's sure to be a hit when entertaining. Drop us a line and let us know what brewing method works best for you!