Much like its neighbours, Burundi, the DRC, Uganda, and Tanzania, Rwanda's geography offers ideal conditions for cultivating specialty varieties of coffee. Rwanda and its smallholder coffee producers have carved out their place on the global coffee stage through the success of Red Bourbon, a variety celebrated for its distinct flavour profile.

Cooperatives like the Muraho Trading Company provide a vital link between Rwanda's smallholder coffee farmers and the global specialty market. Muraho manages a network of coffee washing stations dotted throughout the east African nation. Vunga station, where this coffee was delivered by smallholder producers, is one of Muraho's smallest washing mills. It is located in Rwanda's Northern Province near the borders of Uganda and the DRC, overlooking the breathtaking shores of Lake Kivu.

Muraho is dedicated to raising cup quality across all its stations by investing in advanced post-harvest processing methods, meticulous sorting standards, and innovative fermentation approaches. While focusing on raising their coffee standards, they also contribute to sustainable infrastructure by reinvesting in local communities. Read more about this washed coffee and its processing from Cedar Coffee below.

Cedar's notes

"This coffee offers a distinct flavour profile depending on the brewing method. As a filter, it opens up with vibrant notes of nectarine and pineapple, carried by a juicy acidity and a clean, expressive finish. As an espresso, it presents a more concentrated profile; ripe stonefruit sweetness with bright tropical acidity. In milk-based drinks we picked up notes of smooth Biscoff texture with a sweet finish."

Cup Profile: Nectarines, Pineapple, Biscoff

Coffee details from Cedar

"This marks the third time we're sharing Rwanda Vunga with you and if you've been with us since the early days, you'll recognise it as one of the very first coffees we ever released. Returning to this lot feels meaningful for us, and we're proud to showcase the latest harvest from this remarkable cooperative once again.

"Vunga Cooperative is a small but vibrant community of farmers dedicated to producing high-quality coffee. Led by President Uwimana Daphrose, the cooperative has formed a partnership with Muraho Trading Co, which provides export and financing capabilities to help them increase their quality and reach new markets.

"This cooperative showcases the unique terroir of Rwanda. The coffee is grown, harvested, and processed with care, resulting in a complex and nuanced flavour profile. The processing method involves washing, fermentation in concrete tanks, and drying in parchment, which brings out the coffee's distinct characteristics."

• Farm/Producer: Vunga Washing Station
• Region: Nyabihu District
• Country: Rwanda
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,450 - 1,600 masl
• Variety: Red Bourbon