Rwanda: Rusizi Gaseke

We are excited to bring you another beautiful coffee out of Rwanda. This fully washed Rwandan coffee comes from the village of Gaseke, located in Nyungwe Mountain National Park in the southern District of Rusizi. The Gaseke washing station has been in operation for 3 years now and serves about 400 regional farmers. It sits at 1500 meters above sea level and farms reach up to higher altitudes of 1800+. The Gaseke workers put a lot of hand labor into sorting defects, which is noticeable when looking over the green coffee. First, they spread out the coffee cherry on tables where any over and under ripe coffee cherries are removed. Next, the cherry is transferred to tanks filled with clean water where the floating cherries (overripe coffee) are skimmed and processed as lower-quality separations. Once the visible defects have been removed, the coffee is depulped down to parchment coffee and transferred to drying beds where it will be sifted through several times during the couple of weeks it takes to dry. All this sorting makes for a more uniform coffee from one brew to the next since there are very few beans that will influence cup flavor. This is another beautiful Farm Gate coffee that is good for espresso.

Cupping Notes: complex sugars like muscovado and brûlée sugar, Masala chai, dried strawberries and Earl Grey tea

Brew Recommendations: Drip, French Press, pour-over, espresso.

Farm Gate Coffee: Farmers paid at least 50% above Fair Trade

Varietal: Bourbon

Region: Rusizi District, Western Province

Altitude: 1500-1800 meters

Process: Wet processed (washed) and sun-dried on raised beds

Equity Pricing (EP) Levels

Sustaining Level: $16 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Uplifting Level: $20 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Benefacting Level: $24 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Sourced from the Rusizi District in Rwanda’s Western Province, this lot from Keia & Martyn's Coffee showcases the classic profile of the Bourbon varietal. Grown at elevations between 1500 and 1800 meters, the coffee undergoes a washed process, a technique often utilized to highlight the inherent clarity and acidity of the bean. While washed coffees are frequently celebrated for their clean, bright profiles, this specific selection offers a complex interplay of deep, caramelized sweetness and aromatic spice, featuring notes of muscovado, brûlée sugar, Masala chai, dried strawberries, and Earl Grey tea.

For those looking to better understand the nuances of these descriptors, referencing a flavor wheel can be an excellent way to categorize the distinct tea-like and sugary characteristics present in this cup. This Rwanda: Rusizi Gaseke offering serves as a compelling example of how regional terroir and traditional processing methods converge to create a sophisticated and layered sensory experience.