BSS Farm Lot #11 Natural

This silky cup opens with aromas of blackberry, cocoa, and marzipan. Notes of pomegranate, chocolate-covered almond, and lemon and buoyed by wild strawberry sweetness. The finish features cocoa powder, lemon, and a touch of sage.

Details

Producer: Smallholders Farm: BSS Farm Region: Kayanza Altitude: 1,850-2,100 masl Varietal: Red Bourbon Process: Natural Roast: Light-Medium Notes: Pomegranate, Cocoa Powder, Lemon

The Story 

Imported by our friends at Red Fox.

"The Umoco washing station acts as Kayanza's processing backbone. Its name means 'light' in Kirundi, Burundi’s official language. Producers typically deliver their coffee cherries to Umoco on foot, though some utilize bicycles or motorcycles. Coffee here is grown almost entirely in full sun, and because fertilizers are often cost-prohibitive, families supplement their income and diet with crops like bananas, maize, cassava, and beans.

"During processing, the coffee undergoes a sun-dried fermentation process for seven days, after which it is bagged in parchment sacks for three to five days in the warehouse. Finally, the parchment is dried for 25 to 30 days on traditional African raised beds. These coffees thrive at exceptional altitudes ranging from 1,850 to 2,100 meters above sea level, rooted in rich red clay soils.

"Kayanza borders the vast Kibira National Forest, where the dense canopy creates a microclimate of cooler temperatures and higher rainfall. Locals refer to this area as the 'up country.' Beyond its agricultural value, the region holds deep historical significance as the burial ground for Burundi’s former kings, whose graves are marked by towering indigenous trees.

"Operating in Burundi involves navigating extreme challenges. It remains among the world's poorest nations, exacerbated by food insecurity, ethnic conflict, fuel shortages, and political instability. Such conditions make it difficult to establish the smooth, trust-based systems required for long-term trade. Government involvement often complicates the sector further. Heavy bureaucracy and frequent regulatory changes create uncertainty, while the national coffee authority, ODECA, faces a conflict of interest by acting as both a regulator and a producer. Consequently, profitability is often only reachable for those producing massive volumes or exceptional quality.

"Despite these hurdles, many Burundian producers are building resilient, quality-focused operations. Red Fox remains committed to supporting these efforts by opening new markets, allowing producers to secure competitive prices and more sustainable incomes for their families."

This natural-processed Red Bourbon from the Kayanza region of Burundi showcases the fruit-forward character typical of natural coffees. Grown by smallholders at elevation between 1850–2100 masl, the lot presents a striking array of stone fruit and cocoa notes—blackberry, pomegranate, and wild strawberry alongside chocolate-covered almond and marzipan—with bright lemon and herbal sage adding complexity. Red Bourbon, a classic varietal known for balanced sweetness and body, appears well-suited to Kayanza's terroir, where these smallholder producers craft coffees with distinctive character. PT's Coffee Roasting has developed this lot to express both the varietal's inherent chocolate-cocoa profile and the bright, dimensional fruit complexity that natural processing amplifies.