Coffee production plays a significant role in Rwanda’s economy, and has historically been supported by its national government, international investment, and export-focused trade rules. First introduced by missionaries at the beginning of the 20th century, coffee has since become one of Rwanda’s largest cash crops thanks to the country’s terroir which is optimal for varieties like Red Bourbon. This variety is of particular renown, with washed lots having a special reputation for their fruit-forward, and jammy potential.

This Rwandan Shyira Washed coffee marks another collaboration between local roasters, Quaffee, green coffee traders, Zuka, and the Muraho trading company in Rwanda. Previously, Quaffee has offered a different coffee from Muraho, sourced from the Vunga Cooperative, sister to the Shyira Coffee Washing Station  where this washed lot was processed.

The Shyira station receives harvests grown by smallholder farmers in the North-western Nyabihu district of Rwanda. There, Red Bourbon thrives thanks to high-altitudes and a rich soil composition. At Shyira, this lot was de-pulped and dried using raised and covered beds before a 12-hour fermentation in concrete tanks.

Phaedon's tasting notes

What I love about great Red Bourbon lots is their jammy quality and I would say this one has it in spades. Combined with a lovely bright acidity and what I picked up as sweet citrus notes, I think this particular lot may even remind me more of marmalade than jam. I found it had a zesty quality and a sweet finish, much like Paddington's favourite comestible.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed this coffee most in immersion brew methods, as well as my moka pot. I found that these methods accented its more luxurious flavours, perhaps because of the texture in these cups resulting from the oils that are able to pass through. In some brews, I found a stone fruit sweetness alongside that marmaladey quality.

Quaffee’s notes

• Taste profile: Berry juice, white sugar with a mild molasses finish.
• Roast used: Flame throughout the roast until first crack where the development is extended
• Roast degree: Light – using my-tonino.com
• Quaffee brews:
• Aeropress: 17g:200g
• Espresso: 1:2.1
• Plunger: 50g: 800g
• Pour-over/Filter: 20g:300g

Coffee details from Quaffee

“Muraho Trading Company was founded by two brothers who grew up in Rwanda. Their aim, to showcase Rwanda’s specialty coffee to the world, highlighting not only the coffee but also the people and the country that have given them so much.

"In 2017, Muraho built the Shyira Coffee Washing Station in Rwanda’s northern Nyabihu district. As the highest-altitude station in the Muraho network, Shyira processes coffee from some of the country’s most elevated growing regions, producing exceptional, flavor-packed coffees that fully express their terroir. 

"Moreover, its remote location makes Shyira the smallest station, yet this very setting amplified Muraho’s impact on the rural community. Consequently, the station became not only a hub for processing specialty coffee but also a platform for social change, prioritising access to knowledge and fair pricing for local farmers.”

• Region: Nyabihu District 
• Country: Rwanda
• Farmers: The Shiyra washing station services a small number of local farmers 
• Ave Farm size: 1 ha
• Species: 100% Arabica
• Variety: Red Bourbon
• Altitude: 1,450- 1,600 masl
• Processing: Fully washed, & dried on raised & covered beds
• Packaging: GrainPro in Hessian

Quaffee’s transparency information

• Sourced from: Zuka Green
• FOB price: 3.86U$D / lb FOT; 3.96 U$D / lb FOB
• Cupping score: 83.5 (ours)
• Producer / Organisation: Shyira Cooperative
• Lot size bought: We purchased 60kgs.
• Relationship: Our first coffee from this co-operative. We have offered coffee from its sister co-op, Vunga