Ruvumu

This coffee comes from the hills outside Kayanza, where getting to the farm is part of the story. After landing in Bujumbura, it takes a couple hours on paved roads and then another stretch over rough dirt paths to reach the Ruvumu community. Most producers here still carry their coffee by foot to the Umoco washing station, sometimes with the help of a bike or motorcycle. Umoco means light, and it serves as a gathering point for smallholder farmers working the surrounding hillsides.

Coffee in this part of Burundi grows high, between 1,800 and 2,200 meters, in red clay soils near the edge of Kibira National Forest. The elevation and cooler climate slow things down in a good way, helping develop clarity and structure in the cup. At the station, cherries are carefully processed using a double fermentation before drying on raised beds for several weeks. This brings forth a crisp Cranberry acidity with lasting notes of Fig and Lemongrass.