Wash Station: Kanzu

Origin: Nyamasheke, Rwanda

Process-type: Washed

Varietal: Bourbon

Cup: Floral Raspberry, Strawberry Jam, Vanilla, Mandarin Orange

Kanzu is a wash station in the Nyamasheke district of Rwanda's Western Province. The area is lush and beautiful with extraordinary biodiversity, to include about a dozen different primate species. Inaccessible by roads, the station is situated on the steep slopes above Lake Kivu in Nyungwe National Forest. There is a very special microclimate here. As the forest collects cloud cover it creates a special misty environment which works to temper the climate and protect against extreme temperatures. This has the beneficial effect of slowing cherry maturation. Coffee in this area has one of the latest harvests in the country.

Kanzu is very well ran. The station upholds extremely high standards in harvesting and processing and goes far beyond the typical wash station in reinvesting in infrastructure and providing technical assistance. The station also has a very loyal producer community. This is in no small part due to the assistance provided, the record prices they pay for cherry, and general rising tides raises all ships sort of mentality. A few years back the station gifted community members a special breed of cow to reward their hard work and loyalty.

This is a natural processed lot. After harvest and sorting this coffee was laid out to dry in its fruit for 40 days on shaded raised beds. Covered drying beds are not often seen and is another sign of the extra steps taken at Kanzu. Covered beds protect the coffee from intense sun and promote more steady and careful drying of the coffee.

All the great work and carefulness put in at Kanzu and by its community members has made this coffee from this very special and unique terroir shine. The cup is super clean, expressive, and bright for a natural processed cup. Flavor wise, the cup abounds with strawberry and raspberry tones like floral raspberry and strawberry jam, complimented nicely by notes of vanilla and mandarin-like citrus impressions.

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