We tend to associate Burundian coffee with our friends at Quaffee. Many years ago, they started to source and expose us to top quality lots from this lesser-known African coffee-growing country and, from the start, we were impressed. Neighbouring Rwanda and sharing many of the same elements of terroir, and even cultivation practices, Burundi offers excellent growing conditions for specialty Arabica. Unfortunately, growers in Burundi have faced many challenges including political, logistical and infrastructural obstacles.

Today, small-scale farmers in some parts of Burundi are being helped by the construction of washing stations that can pool the crops of many farmers, improve processing and also help to coach the community in better farming practices. Over the years, Quaffee has worked with several of these organisations, but this is the first lot sourced from the fairly young Ruvubu coffee. We're excited to taste this first lot as we know that Quaffee is very particular in choosing both its partners and the coffees it roasts.

Phaedon's tasting notes

This coffee reminded me of everything that I enjoy about Burundian coffee. It's also definitely fair to note that much of this was discovered with the help of Quaffee; our friends in Constantia have always sourced delicious examples of Burundi's best. Great Burundian coffees tend to have plenty of body and sweetness to enjoy, as well as jammy fruit flavours, often without overpowering acidity or anything that might alienate a more casual coffee drinker. This is just such a coffee.

I found this lot was at its best in immersion brews, my siphon and French press particularly. In those brew methods, it had a nice texture to it, a kind of effervescence, as well as a medley of tropical, citrus and stone fruit flavours.

Quaffee's notes

• Characteristics: Tasting notes are red grape, cocoa, vanilla with a guava or tropical fruit after taste. Mouth feel or body is between medium and full.
• Roast used: Medium charge with a decreasing ramp rate until the end of the roast, with 12% dev time.
• Quaffee's brews:
• Espresso: 1:2.2(28sec)
• AeroPress: 17g:200g
• Plunger: 46g:800g
• Pour over / filter: 17.5g:300g

Coffee details from Quaffee

The Ruvubu coffees come from a coffee producers near the Ruvubu River and National Park in Burundi. The farmers use the river water to wash and process the coffee. The Ruvubu River is a major water source in central East Africa, where it collects waters from the farthest part of the Nile basin. It stretches for about 300 km. It originates in the north of Burundi, near the town of Kayanza, and then curves southward through Burundi. Near Gitega, it merges with the Ruvyironza River.

The name “Kavugangoma” means the sound of the drums. It comes from the location of the washing station on the hill of Kavugangoma. In Burundian tradition, the drum makers used trees called Umuvugangoma to make all the drums. When Burundi was a Kingdom, this tree was sacred to the region and people planted it with reverence.

The coffee we are offering is from lot 11171. It represents a single lot take from the hills ofJarama, Bukwanzi, Mukunguza, Bugonza, Kibwirwa, Butobwe and Mwakiro. Soil on these hills is volcanic, hence it is rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, which coffee plants need, and tends to hold water well.

• Region: Muyinga Province, Burundi
• Processing: Natural sun-dried on raised beds for an average of 20 – 30 days. Cherries are intermittently agitated and inverted by hand.
• Farmer/lot: Over 800 famers bring cherry to the station. Exact numbers for this Lot were not provided.
• Altitude grown: 1800-1850 masl
• Varietals: Bourbon

Quaffee's transparency information

• Sourced from: Kavugangoma run by Ruvubu coffee
• FOB price: $6.7/kg
• Cupping score: 86.7 (Ruvubu), however our score was 83
• Lot size: We have committed to take 1x60kgs bags
• Relationship: Our first coffee we have offered from Ruvubu