Conscious Coffee - Rwanda Gisheke

Origin

Rwanda

Variety

Bourbon

Processing

Natural

Altitude

1850 masl

Roast Profile

Omni-Roast

Tasting Notes

Notes of Red Plum, Summer fruits and Honey.

Coffee Facts

The station is run by Muharo Trading Company (which was set up by two brothers, Karthick and Gaudam Anbalagam) which purchased the station in 2017.  At that time it was in a run-down state, so they gave it a major make-over in early 2018, turning it into an ideal station for processing high quality speciality coffee. The current manager of the station is Emmanuel Tuyizere, and it has 3 full time staff.

Gisheke Washing Station overlooks Lake Kivu, a large lake bordering Rwanda and the DRC.  Approximately 628 family farmers from the nearby Mushungwe island and two other nearby islands deliver coffee cherries to the station by boat. (The cherries from Mushungwe island comprise approx. 40% of the cherries processed on the station).  The station is located at 1650 MASL, but the coffee delivered to it comes from farms as high as 1850 MASL.  A link to Muharo Trading Company's website, with information about the station, is here. 

The station's location between two steep hills allows consistent wind flow through the station, which is perfect for drying natural process coffee, like this one. The whole cherries are dried on raised mesh drying beds in the sun until they reach the desired moisture content.