Africa

Ethiopia

The cradle of Coffea arabica itself, Ethiopia dazzles with an unmatched spectrum of floral-fruit flavours. Towering highlands, ancient heirloom genetics and time-honoured sun-drying give its coffees their hallmark bergamot perfume, blueberry burst and silky, tea-like body that set the global benchmark for elegance.

Key regions:
Sidama · Yirgacheffe · Guji · Harrar · Limu

Typical elevation:
1600 – 2200 m +

Dominant processing:
Sun-dried naturals & fully washed

Cup profile:
Earl-Grey florals, ripe blueberry & peach, candied citrus, honeyed-tea body

Millions of smallholder farmers tend “garden” plots of wild-type landraces - often under false banana shade - hand-picking crimson cherries and either depulping them the same day for cool-water fermentation or drying them whole on raised beds for up to three weeks. The mix of porous volcanic soils, torrid daytime sun and brisk, jasmine-scented nights concentrates sugars and aromatic oils, yielding cups that marry sparkling fruit clarity with velvety sweetness, ideal for expressive filter brews or nuanced, floral espressos.

Kenya

Skirting the red-volcanic slopes of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Range, Kenya crafts coffees whose electric black-currant zing and wine-like acidity have become industry benchmarks. Classic SL-series cultivars (SL 28, SL 34) and newer Ruiru 11 and Batian thrive in cool mornings, intense equatorial sun and iron-rich loam, concentrating sugars and anthocyanins that burst into berry, citrus and tomato-savory layers.

Key regions:
Nyeri · Kirinyaga · Embu · Murang’a

Typical elevation:
1500 – 2100 m

Dominant processing:
Double-fermented, fully washed (with a small but growing share of honey & natural lots)

Cup profile:
Blackcurrant & red-berry sweetness · Grapefruit/tamarind acidity · Tomato-savory nuance · Brown-sugar finish · Silky tea-like body

Cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness and delivered to cooperative wet-mills, where an overnight fermentation, a second “soak,” and meticulous channel grading sharpen clarity and embed Kenya’s signature fruit-acid sparkle. Steep day–night swings often exceeding 20 °C lock in volatile aromas, while porous pumice soils add mineral depth. The result is a cup that interweaves crystalline berry brightness with plush sugarcane sweetness - exceptional for vibrant pour-overs and stand-alone, wine-toned espressos.

Tanzania

Rising along the Great Rift Valley and the snow-capped slopes of Kilimanjaro and Meru, Tanzania yields coffees celebrated for their bright citrus, black-tea florals and gently wine-like structure. Highland microclimates, mineral-rich volcanic soils and the country’s famous peaberry grading combine to produce cups that balance sparkling acidity with velvety cocoa depth.

Key regions:
Kilimanjaro & Meru · Mbeya & Songwe · Ngorongoro · Kagera (Bukoba)

Typical elevation:
1200 – 1900 m (select farms above 2000 m)

Dominant processing:
Fully washed (growing share of natural & sun-dried peaberry lots)

Cup profile:
Mandarin-orange & red-currant brightness · Cane-sugar sweetness · Black-tea florals · Subtle wine-grape nuance · Cocoa-nib body

Smallholder farmers, many tending just a few hundred trees, hand-pick Bourbon-derived Kent, N 39 and Typica cherries and deliver them to cooperative washing stations for same-day depulping, cool-water fermentation and slow raised-bed drying. Sharp day–night temperature swings lock in sugars, while fertile volcanic loam layers in spice and mineral complexity. The result is a cup that marries citrus acidity and tea-like aromatics with plush chocolate sweetness - ideal for lively pour-overs and nuanced, fruit-forward espressos.

Uganda

Rising on the fertile shoulders of Mt Elgon and the glacier-capped Rwenzori “Mountains of the Moon,” Uganda is shedding its Robusta-only image with Arabica lots that fuse raisin-plum sweetness, red-berry brightness and a cocoa-spice backbone. Cool, misty mornings, dramatic day–night swings and deep volcanic loam coax SL 14, SL 28 and Nyasaland heirlooms into vibrant, sugar-dense cherries that shine whether fully washed at Sipi Falls or sun-dried whole in the Rwenzoris.

Key regions:
Mt Elgon (Sipi Falls / Bugisu) · Rwenzori (Kasese & Kabarole) · West Nile (Zombo)

Typical elevation:
1200 – 2200 m

Dominant processing:
Fully washed (Mt Elgon); natural & honey (Rwenzori), with emerging anaerobic microlots

Cup profile:
Raisin-plum sweetness · Red-berry & citrus sparkle · Brown-sugar depth · Cocoa-spice body · Subtle floral hints

Thousands of smallholder farmers hand-pick crimson cherries from shade-grown coffee “gardens,” depulping them the same day for cool-water fermentation or drying them whole on raised beds that line mountainside terraces. Sharp diurnal temperature swings lock in aromatics, while basalt-rich soils layer in mineral nuance. The result is a cup that balances jammy fruit vibrancy with velvety chocolate structure - ideal for expressive pour-overs, fruit-forward espressos or as a lively highlight in blend development.

Rwanda

Nicknamed the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda produces elegant, sweet-tart coffees that glow with red-berry brightness and tea-rose florals. Steep, terraced slopes, cool misty mornings and deep volcanic loam nurture Bourbon-heritage cherries that balance crisp acidity with silky brown-sugar depth.

Key regions:
Gakenke & Rulindo (North) · Nyamasheke, Karongi & Rusizi (West) · Huye & Nyaruguru (South)

Typical elevation:
1400 – 2100 m

Dominant processing:
Fully washed at cooperative wet-mills (rising honey & natural microlots)

Cup profile:
Red-currant & cranberry sparkle · Orange-zest acidity · Black-tea florals · Brown-sugar sweetness · Silky cocoa body

Hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers hand-pick ripe Bourbon cherries and deliver them to community washing stations, where a double-fermentation (under water, then dry) sharpens clarity before slow raised-bed drying in highland breezes. Dramatic day-night temperature swings lock in aromatics, while mineral-rich ash soils layer in subtle spice. The result is a cup that marries lively fruit purity with velvety caramel structure - perfect for bright, articulate pour-overs or refined, floral-toned espressos.

Burundi

Perched on verdant, terraced ridges that tumble toward Lake Tanganyika, Burundi shares Rwanda’s Bourbon genetics yet stamps its own signature on the cup: juicy red-fruit sparkle, tea-rose florals and a silky caramel finish. Cool misty mornings, iron-rich volcanic loam and hundreds of community washing stations give this tiny nation an outsized reputation in specialty coffee.

Key regions:
Kayanza · Ngozi · Kirundo · Muyinga · Gitega

Typical elevation:
1400 – 2100 m

Dominant processing:
Fully washed (double-fermented & soaked) - with rising honey & natural microlots

Cup profile:
Red-currant & blackberry sweetness · Lemon-orange acidity · Black-tea florals · Brown-sugar depth · Silky cocoa body

Tens of thousands of smallholder farmers, often tending fewer than 300 trees, hand-pick ripe Bourbon cherries and deliver them daily to communal wet-mills. After depulping, the parchment soaks in cool mountain water, then dries slowly on high, sun-drenched raised beds - allowing sugars and aromatics to concentrate while preserving sparkling clarity. The result is a cup that marries lively fruit purity with plush caramel structure - ideal for vibrant pour-overs, refined floral espressos or as a bright accent in blends.