This is our fifth year buying coffee from Baho Coffee’s Akagera Station in Rwanda second buying a separation from the Ikizere project. Founded five years ago, Ikizere is a small organization of single mothers and widows consisting of over 100 women across the country and represented by twelve growers in this specific Akagera lot. Meaning confidence in Kinyarwanda, Ikizere is both a traceable coffee initiative and a social support organization. The exporter, Baho, provides financial and agricultural education, access to short-term loans, clean water infrastructure, health insurance, and a centralized communication and meeting platform for the organization’s women to discuss needs both within and beyond the coffee.

This lot consists entirely of Red Bourbon grown between 1600-1900 masl in the Nyamasheke District of Rwanda. It was hand picked, hand sorted, and floated to separate for ripeness before being turned and dried on raised beds for 30 days to hit a moisture target of 11%. We’re finding a lot of sweet berry flavors up front–think blueberry, but not quite the classic Ethiopia blueberry bombs from back-when. This year’s profile trades some of the acidity of last year’s Ikizere for a creamier texture and a longer, fuller sweetness. The green coffee bags are also smelling almost bubblegum-candy-sweet when opening, which can show in the cup aroma!

Relationship: Core (5 years)

What we taste: Blueberry Yogurt, Mango, Bubblegum

Net weight: 12 ounces