Uganda might be one of the larger African coffee-producing nations, and is in fact the 6th largest coffee producer by volume in the world, but the East African nation doesn’t make many headlines in the specialty coffee space like its neighbours do. That’s mostly because the majority of Uganda’s coffee crop is of the Robusta species, which is more bitter and contains more caffeine than Arabica coffee. It’s great for instant coffee and generic espresso blends, but you’ll rarely see it scoring particularly highly on the Specialty Coffee Association scale.

However, Uganda does still produce some high-quality Arabica coffee, most of which is grown on smallholder farms found on the slopes of Mt Elgon. The 80 kilometre-wide shield volcano offers the high altitudes and nutrient-rich soil that Arabica tends to thrive in. We’ve received a handful of delicious Ugandan specialty coffees from some of our partnered roasteries this year, including one from the Wahata community, but this is the first we’ve received from Quaffee. 

In fact, this coffee, a naturally processed lot from the Manafwa region, is actually the first Ugandan coffee Quaffee has ever offered. Natural Ugandan coffees are colloquially referred to as Dry Ugandan Arabica, or “Drugar” (washed lots are called “Wugar”). In natural coffee processing, the skin and flesh of the coffee cherry is left on during the drying phase, which allows its sweet, fruity flavours to seep into the coffee seed, better-known as the bean. We’ve certainly enjoyed Drugar in the past, and we’re excited to add another one to our shelf!

Phaedon's tasting notes

This quaffee is part of continuing trend I'm seeing this season: versatile, easy-drinking and delicious Ugandans. While this one is definitely on-trend in all those regards, it's also quite a complex example of what Ugandan has to offer.

I definitely picked up some stone fruit in quite a few of my brews. I also enjoyed a lovely toasted finish which I found quite nutty. In some cups, I picked up some tropical notes, and in others, also some berries. There is much to discern and enjoy in this coffee.

I found it worked really well pretty much every way I tried it: moka pot, AeroPress, French press, siphon; it was all pretty delicious.

Quaffee’s notes

• Taste profile: Sweet apricot juice, with a cocoa finish. As it cools the cocoa becomes earthier.
• Roast used: Flame on charge, reduced as drying ends, then flame again as browning ends, then as first crack approaches flame reduced.
• Roast degree: Light - medium
• Quaffee brews:
• Espresso: 1:2.1
• AeroPress: 17.5g:200g
• Plunger: 38g:600g
• Pour-over/filter: 20g:300g

Coffee details from Quaffee

• Country: Uganda
• Region: Manafwa, Mt. Elgon
• Producers: Approx. 1,055 smallholder farmers. On average, each farm has approximately 250 coffee trees.
• Altitude: 1700 - 1850 masl
• Processing: Natural
• Variety: SL14, SL28, Nyasaland

Quaffee’s transparency information

• Sourced from: Zuka Green
• FOB price: Estimated 2.2 - 2.5 USD/lb
• Cupping score: 82 (Quaffee’s)
• Lot size bought: 60kg
• Relationship: This is Quaffee’s first coffee from Manafwa