Coffee Advent Calendar Day 9 - Kenya
Coffee Advent Calendar: Kenya
NOTES: Bakers Chocolate, Mandarin, Pink Grapefruit
ROAST:: Medium
This Kenyan AB was procured through the country’s historic open auction system and carefully selected for its exceptional quality. Kenya is renowned for producing some of the most vibrant and expressive coffees in the world—famous for their sparkling acidity, deep sweetness, and complex fruit character—and this lot is no exception.
Sourced from several small producers on the slopes of Mount Kenya, this coffee is composed primarily of the SL28 cultivar, one of the most celebrated varieties in the specialty world. SL28 was developed in the 1930s by Scott Laboratories in Kenya, during a period of intensive agricultural research aimed at identifying cultivars suited for farmers’ needs. Through field selections and trials, researchers isolated SL28 for its drought tolerance, dependable yields, and—most importantly—its extraordinary cup quality. Today, SL28 remains synonymous with classic Kenyan flavor: bold acidity, blackcurrant sweetness, and remarkable clarity.
The cherries in this lot were processed using the traditional Kenyan washed process, a meticulous method designed to highlight complexity and brightness. After pulping and fermentation, the parchment coffee is washed multiple times, soaked in clean water to enhance sweetness, and then dried slowly on raised beds to ensure even drying and crisp, structured flavors.
Once fully dried, the coffee is delivered to the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, where it is graded, cupped for quality, and ultimately sold at auction—one of the most transparent and quality-focused systems in the coffee world.
- Country: Kenya
- Region: Mount Kenya
- Producers: Multiple farmholders
- Altitude: 1,400 - 1,800 masl
- Varietal: SL28
- Process: Washed
