Archival Release #46 - Dedan Kimathi AA - 2022

With fresh Kenyan coffees starting to arrive on menus across the industry, we thought it would be fitting to feature a Kenyan coffee we enjoyed from years past as this month’s Archival Release. This washed AA grade lot from the farm of Dedan Kimathi University in Nyeri, Kenya is still singing with juicy blackcurrant, cola, and key lime flavors accompanied by a rich toffee finish.

The Dedan Kimathi University of Technology farm (or DeKUT), occupies roughly 650 acres of land dedicated to hands-on agricultural training and horticultural research studies for its students, with coffee occupying the largest part of the farm’s focus. In addition to multiple certificate and degree programs offered by the university in areas related to coffee processing technology, quality management, cupping, and food science, the university farm also cultivates and provides coffee seedlings to area farmers at subsidized prices. The history of coffee farming on the land occupied by the university dates back to the 1920’s when Kenya was still under British colonial rule. It’s fitting then that the DeKUT’s namesake references a storied figure in Kenya’s struggle for independence from Britain during the 20th century. Born in Nyeri in 1920, Dedan Kimathi was a key military leader in the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (also known as the Mau Mau) which staged acts of rebellion against British colonial rule throughout much of the 1950’s. While Kimathi would ultimately be captured and executed by the British colonial government in 1957, his leadership in cooperation with the Mau Mau uprising is recognized for its contribution to Kenya’s eventual independence from British colonial rule in 1963.

The Archival Release #46 - Dedan Kimathi AA - 2022, sourced by Passenger Coffee, represents a distinct offering from the Nyeri region of Kenya. This specific lot was produced by the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and underwent a washed process, a method often utilized to highlight the inherent acidity and clean profile characteristic of high-quality Kenyan coffees. When evaluating such profiles, one might reference a flavor wheel to better categorize the complex interplay of blackcurrant, cola, key lime, and toffee notes identified by the roaster. While washed coffees are generally celebrated for their bright, crisp clarity and refined acidity, this release serves as a focused study of the unique terroir found within the Nyeri landscape. By preserving these specific lots, the roaster provides a snapshot of the university's agricultural output, offering a nuanced experience for those interested in the intersection of academic research and traditional coffee cultivation.