RWANDA KIVUBELT JARAMA

Our February Coffee of the Month is a medium-bodied Rwanda produced by the Kivubelt Coffee group. The cup starts with a subtle golden raisin acidity, which develops more as the cup cools. Notes of toasted hazelnut and thyme appear in the middle of the cup, which then meld into the long, dry cocoa powder finish. This coffee is rich and has a complex balance of sweet, acid, bitter, and savory flavors.   

Roast Color: Medium-Dark

Cupping Notes: Golden Raisin, Toasted Hazelnut, Cocoa Powder

Story: The Nyamasheke district in Rwanda is gifted in terroir. The cool, humid climates of both Lake Kivu and the Nyungwe Forest National Park keep groundwater abundant throughout the uniquely hilly region. Kivu itself is part of the East African Rift whose consistent drift creates volcanic seepage from the lake’s bottom and enriches the surrounding soils.

This lot comes from the Jarama farm, one of three estates owned and operated by Kivubelt in the Nyamasheke region. Jarama is a 56-acre estate and the largest planted area that Kivubelt oversees. Kivubelt was established in 2011 by Furaha Umwizey, after returning to Rwanda with a master’s degree in economics from Switzerland. Born and raised in Rwanda, Umwizey’s goal with Kivubelt is to create a model coffee plantation, as sustainable in agriculture as it is impactful in local employment and empowerment. Under Umwizey’s leadership, Kivubelt has planted 90,000 coffee trees on their estates, which now employ more than 400 people during harvest months and is a kind of coffee vocational school for local smallholders interested in improving their farming.