Kenya Nyeri Gatugi AA
Coffee Specs
SOURCE
Othaya Farmer's Cooperative Society, Gatugi Factory
Region: Gatugi, Nyeri, Kenya
CULTIVARS
SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru-11
GRADE
AA
PROCESSES
traditional washed, sun dried on raised beds; Farm Gate
ELEVATION
1900 masl
ROAST
Light (398˚F); Aillio Bullet R1 V2
FLAVOR
Tangy lemon, stone fruit, and notes of English Breakfast black tea.
BREWING
Hario V60 w/ Melodrip or Brew Assist;
20g/300ml: 50ml bloom, 100ml, 75ml, 75ml
Farm Notes
Gatugi is one of several coffees we picked up from Othaya Farmer's Cooperative Society (FCS), an FCS that includes an impressive amount of wet mills, 18 in all, dating back to the late 1950s. Gatugi Factory sits at just under 1900 meters above sea level, right along the Ichamama River, which is fed from the Karima forest above. "Factories" are essentially small washing stations aligned with a particular "society" in Kenya, what we would call a "cooperative". We return to the societies who seem to regularly produce some of the best Kenya coffees, and each year we come across societies that are new to us as well. Being one of the older Kenya FCS, we are well aware of the quality coming out of Othaya, and have had the good fortune to buy a few stellar lots the past two years. It was purchased direct, not through the Kenya auction system, so we could avoid the risk of losing it. To do this we pay a price that is higher than what the top auction bid might be, but it means we get the exact lot we want. This is the AA outturn, which just means it's the largest bean separation from a particular coffee process batch. (Notes provided by our vendor.)
Cupping Notes
What a pristine cup this lot from Gatugi makes, with a refined sweetness that has the transparency of simple syrup, and bright citrus notes that bring remarkable lift in light roasts. The dry fragrance had aromatic citrus notes, along with a potent honey sweetness, and complex baking spices like all spice, and ginger. Adding hot water to the grounds brought out a smell of cranberry-raspberry juice, with intense sweetness behind it, as well as an accent of loose-leaf black teas. Citrus flavors made their mark in the brewed coffee, and had juicy fruit aspects of lemon, and orange, which fed into a tangy acidity that shimmered bright. The profile unfolds to include light accents of stone fruits, and red berries that imparted a ripe, juicy aspect, fresh in flavor. The aftertaste had a mouth refreshing tannic side, like English Breakfast black tea, with a tangy lemon compliment.