Description

From Rwanda's "Land of a Thousand Hills" comes this exceptional natural processed coffee, representing both the country's rich agricultural heritage and its remarkable transformation into a premium coffee origin. Since coffee's introduction by German missionaries in 1904, Rwanda has evolved to become one of Africa's most distinguished coffee producers, with this Mashesha offering exemplifying the country's commitment to quality.

Located in the Rusizi region at 1,125 meters, with contributing farms reaching up to 1,800 meters, the Mashesha washing station benefits from an ideal microclimate for natural coffee processing. The station's location allows for optimal 18-20 day drying periods, crucial for developing the coffee's complex flavor profile.

The care taken in production reflects Rwanda's broader coffee revolution. Since the first washing stations were established in 2001, Rwanda has transformed its coffee sector from a commodity producer to a specialty coffee origin. Today, approximately 400,000 smallholder families cultivate coffee on plots averaging just 0.1-0.2 hectares, with each farmer tending 200-500 trees.

This lot undergoes rigorous quality control characteristic of Rwanda's premium coffee production. Fresh cherries are floated to remove underripe beans before careful hand-sorting on raised drying beds. This attention to detail has helped position Rwanda as a producer of exceptional coffees, with the industry now contributing over $450 million in export earnings and representing 5.6% of the country's economy.

In the cup, this coffee showcases the best attributes of Rwandan Bourbon variety beans. The profile opens with rustic dried fruit notes – fig and raisin predominate, accompanied by subtle goji berry and banana chip sweetness. As the cup cools, layers of complexity emerge: winey berry notes, tangy dark chocolate reminiscent of 70% cacao, and hints of aromatic wood. The heavy body creates a luxurious, syrupy mouthfeel that carries these flavors through a long finish.

Rwanda's coffee sector represents a remarkable story of post-conflict recovery and agricultural innovation. Despite producing some of the world's finest coffees, domestic consumption remains minimal, with most Rwandans preferring tea. This makes coffees like Mashesha particularly special – nearly all of Rwanda's production is exported, allowing coffee lovers worldwide to experience these unique flavors.

The natural processing method used here, while less common in Rwanda, showcases the country's growing sophistication in coffee production. Traditional processing techniques combine with modern quality control measures to create coffees that can compete with the world's finest. This coffee particularly shines as espresso, where its thick body and complex flavor profile create an exceptional shot with notes of dark chocolate ganache and subtle blueberry undertones.

This offering represents more than just exceptional coffee – it's a testament to Rwanda's agricultural renaissance and the transformative power of specialty coffee production. Each cup supports a vital industry that provides sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of Rwandan families while delivering an outstanding coffee experience.