Starmaya

Starmaya is a washed Zambian coffee with notes of black tea, rich molasses and warming cardamom. Grown by Mount Sunzu Coffee in northern Zambia, it’s an aromatic cup that brings together gentle sweetness and spice.

The coffee takes its name from Starmaya, a first-generation Arabica hybrid variety. At Mount Sunzu, ripe cherries are selectively picked and floated before being pulped and fermented for 24 hours without being submerged in water. The coffee is then washed and dried on raised beds for around ten days, with the beds covered overnight. Hulling, grading and hand sorting also take place at the farm.

Founded in 2018, Mount Sunzu has built its coffee operation with care for both its workers and the surrounding landscape. The farm provides pension and health benefits for employees and uses solar energy in its operations. Around 600 hectares of its 780-hectare site are reserved for native Miombo forest and Dambo wetlands.

From the first pick to the final sort, this coffee is handled by the team who grew it—a distinctive Zambian single origin with a flavour profile all its own.

Starmaya is a unique F1 hybrid varietal, and this specific lot from Mount Sunzu Coffee in northern Zambia offers a compelling look at its potential. Produced in the high-latitude landscapes of Zambia, this coffee undergoes a washed process, a method typically employed to highlight the inherent clarity and acidity of the bean. While washed coffees are often celebrated for their clean, crisp profiles, the specific terroir of Mount Sunzu contributes to a distinct character that balances delicate aromatics with deeper, resonant sweetness.

Roasted by Quarter Horse Coffee, this selection presents a sophisticated cup profile defined by notes of black tea, rich molasses, and warming cardamom. To better understand how these specific descriptors fit into the broader spectrum of coffee quality and sensory evaluation, we recommend consulting our flavor wheel. This entry serves as a testament to the evolving landscape of Zambian coffee production and the careful stewardship of the Starmaya varietal.