Burundi -  Gakenke Natural

REGION: Kayanza

ALTITUDE: Washing station – 1,670 meters above sea level; Farms - 1,500 to 1,800 meters above sea level

FARM/COOP/STATION: Gakenke washing station

VARIETAL: Red Bourbon

PROCESSING: Natural

Sensory: Citrus Fruit, Dark Chocolate, Raspberry, Caramel, Cherry

SCA Cupping Score: 85.75

During the harvest season, all coffee is selectively handpicked. Most families only have 200 to 250 trees, and harvesting is done almost entirely by the family.

Quality assurance begins as soon as farmers deliver their cherry. All cherry is floated in small buckets as a first step to check quality. After floating, the higher quality cherry is sorted again by hand to remove all damaged, underripe and overripe cherries.  

After sorting, the cherry is transported directly to the drying tables where they will dry slowly for 3 to 4 weeks. Cherry is laid out in a single layer. Pickers go over the drying cherry for damaged or defective cherry that may have been missed in previous quality checks. The washing station is very strict about allowing only the highest quality cherry to complete the drying process.