Kinini Village Natural

This balanced cup opens with aromas of red grape, brown sugar, and raspberry. Notes of raspberry compote, dark chocolate, and hibiscus accompany grilled lemon acidity in the cup. The structured finish features notes of hazelnut and dried cranberry.

Details

Producer: Kinini Coffee Cooperative Farm: 48 Smallholders Region: Northern Province Altitude: 1,800-2,200 masl Varietal: Bourbon Process: Natural Roast: Light Notes: Raspberry Compote, Hazelnut, Hibiscus

The Story

After spending 10 years developing schools and community infrastructure for children of the Rwandan genocide, Jacquie Turner and Malcolm Clear founded Kinini Coffee in 2014 in an effort to provide sustainable income for these communities. Its structure is unprecedented in the region: Kinini Coffee signed a "lease" on parcels of land owned by various farmers throughout the area, most of which was not in use. This lease stipulated that Kinini would provide the farmers with coffee trees, training, and organization, while putting 10% of profits toward supporting education and health in the members' communities. All the farmers had to do was agree to deliver cherries to the Kinini Washing Station when the trees fruited in the future, for which they would be paid.

The care taken at the farms (by farmers incentivized to do so), at the washing station, during cherry collection, and on the drying tables has resulted in some of the highest-scoring coffees in the region.

Crop to Cup importers discovered Kinini Coffee Cooperative via the International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA), as 85% of Kinini's members are women, and purchased the very first lot that the co-op exported to the US in 2018. We've contracted washed and natural coffees from Kinini each year since then, and it's always a delight when we get our hands on the latest harvest.

Produced by the Kinini Coffee Cooperative in Rwanda’s Northern Province, the Kinini Village Natural represents a distinct expression of the Bourbon varietal. Cultivated at elevations between 1800 and 2200 meters, this lot is processed using the natural method, a technique where the coffee cherry remains intact while drying. As detailed in our processing methods explainer, this approach often allows the fruit characteristics of the coffee to integrate deeply into the bean during maturation.

Sourced and roasted by PT's Coffee Roasting, this coffee highlights a profile of raspberry compote, hazelnut, and hibiscus. While natural-processed coffees often exhibit heavier fruit-forward profiles, the specific interplay of these notes can be further explored using our flavor wheel. This selection offers a compelling look at how high-altitude Rwandan terroir and careful post-harvest handling shape the final cup, providing a nuanced experience for those interested in the evolution of East African specialty coffee.