Rwanda Kanyege Isimbi Limited Edition Coffee

Rwanda Kanyege Isimbi Limited Edition Coffee

This special bean from Rwanda in Central Africa is a juicy bodied beauty we know Merlo drinkers will love. Flavours of pomegranate and sweet milk chocolate with a hint of spice, a medium honeycomb body and cinnamon aromatics, ending with a smooth vanilla finish.

Rwanda Kanyege Isimbi is just as delicious first thing in the morning as it is after dinner at night.

The sweet dessert flavours are balanced by impeccable cleanliness from the perfect processing, so the individual flavours work harmoniously while each being able to shine in their own right.

COFFEE ORIGIN PROFILE

Country: Rwanda, Africa
Region: Gatsibo District
Farm: Smallholder farmers (average farm size 250 – 350 trees)
Varietals: Bourbon
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1500-1800m above sea level.

Isimbi means the white cap on top of a volcano in Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda. This coffee is a combined effort from a group of small holder farmers working on plots of 250 to 350 trees each.

This kind of plot is a typical size for coffee producers in Rwanda, where small-scale producers make up the bulk of the nation’s total harvest, which tallies at about 20,000 tonnes, and contributes over 1 million US dollars to the Rwandan economy.

Political stability has allowed the coffee industry to flourish, with farmers improving their processes and techniques and achieving higher prices year on year as a result.

Much of this progress is achieved by co-operative endeavour – in this case the farmers banded together to create COCAKA (Co-operative of Coffee Growers in Kageyo) in 2018 and in the five years since have worked to improve as a group, sharing information, expertise and resources to lift the local coffee quality. In selecting the coffees for this lot, the farmers looked to “Isimbi” which is used as a byword for purity and chosen coffees for their clean crisp flavours.

TASTING NOTES

Rwanda Kanyege Isimbi has flavours of pomegranate and sweet milk chocolate with a hint of spice. It's a medium honeycomb body and cinnamon aromatics, ending with a smooth vanilla finish.

The sweet dessert flavours are balanced by impeccable cleanliness from the perfect processing, so the individual flavours work harmoniously while each being able to shine in their own right.

The coffee’s immaculate processing comes through in the juicy body and winey acidity, which balances the warmth of the flavour profile. Dessert sweet all the way from start to finish, the Kanyege Isimbi is a harmonious blend of elements, with the spice adding a little note of interest to the rich chocolate and vanilla.

This is a coffee that works just as well after dinner as first thing in the morning and tastes beautiful as a white coffee or taken black.

BREW RECOMMENDATIONS

High on sweetness and super clean, the Rwanda Kanyege Isimbi is perfect for espresso machines. As a short or long black the chocolate richness carries through and the vanilla finish adds a gentle note to the aftertaste.

Adding milk only amplifies the gorgeous dessert flavours – nothing goes better with spiced chocolate than milk! Plant mylks are great too: coconut and almond add a new nutty flavour dimension that’s very complementary.

For filter, Aeropress is a lovely choice. You’ll get the chocolate brownie effect from full immersion brewing. Pourovers will sing with clarity, and the delicate cinnamon gets a chance to shine. Above all this is a very easy drinking coffee, and you might want to pull the bigger plunger from the back of the pantry, because everyone is going to want a cup.

COFFEE CUPPING DETAILS

Score: 86/100

Flavour: Pomegranate, Sweet Milk Chocolate, Honeycomb

Aroma: Cinnamon

Body: Juicy

Aftertaste: Smooth Vanilla.