Kenya Mandela Estates

KENYA
Mandela Estate

Black Currant, Kumquat, Maple Syrup

Elevation: 1600 MASL
Process: Washed
Varital: Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34

The Mandela Estate sits near the Gatamaiyo Forest Reserve in Kiambu County, Kenya. Unlike typical estates in Kenya, Mandela is a patchwork of small plots of land rented by a single owner and farm manager, Mr Kiongo Njuguna. Its peculiar shape is the result of many years of investment and expansion in small neighboring tracks of land. The estate has two harvests each year, one in June - Aug and another in Oct - Dec, which are typical of the region. The ripening of the cherry is closely monitored and when the time is right the red cherry is hand-picked and brought to the washing station down the road. The cherry is then de-pulped, washed and dried on raised beds in the sun until it reaches the 10-12% target.

The Kenya Mandela Estate is an exceptional coffee that has a restrained acidity, depth of sweetness and is very balanced across the roast spectrum. Roasts on the lighter end are bright, but not overwhelmingly so and we tasted notes of kumquat, gooseberry, black currant and raw sugar. Darker roasts tame the acidity further and amplify the layers of sweetness with notes of black currant, toasted marshmallow and maple. This is a versatile coffee that would work well in a blend, as a drip coffee, and especially as a maple and citrus sweet single-origin espresso.

Sourced through Bellwether. We paid $17.85/kilo plus shopping for this coffee.