Kenya Gatomboya Espresso 250G

About this lot:

MORNING CLARITY

If you want a  fine dynamic espresso that cuts perfectly through milk or shines brilliantly on its own, look no further: this Kenyan sips like a tart, sugary fruit pastry in liquid form.
​Expect to find a snappy pink grapefruit and bright redcurrant leading the charge, followed closely by tangy rhubarb and a surprisingly cozy, sweet layer of toffee. Rare gem!

About origin:

Named after the local village, the Gatomboya Coffee Washing Station is owned and supplied by a dedicated cooperative of smallholder farmers. Each member typically cultivates around 400 coffee bushes on a single-hectare plot, growing this complex blend of classic Kenyan varietals alongside their daily food crops. To connect growers with the fruits of their labor and generate additional income, the cooperative roasts and sells its lower-grade coffees locally under the “Barichu Coffee House” brand, actively promoting coffee-drinking culture within the farming community.

​The Varietal Blend:

• ​SL28: A historic 1930s selection prized for its drought tolerance and complex, wine-like sweetness.
• ​SL34: Admired for its rich body and balanced acidity, requiring expert farm management due to its disease susceptibility.
• ​Ruiru 11: Adds robust disease resistance and high yields to the farm’s agricultural ecosystem.

​Washed Process:

• ​Selective Sorting: Farmers deliver only red, ripe cherries to the wet mill, where they undergo stringent sorting before pulping to guarantee exceptional cup clarity.
• ​Temperature-Mapped Fermentation: The pulped coffee is deposited into fermentation tanks. Depending on the ambient temperature, it ferments for 16 to 20 hours to gently break down the sugars.
• ​Gradient Channel Wash: The beans are thoroughly washed in gradient water channels. This traditional method strips away all remaining mucilage, unlocking the coffee’s bright pink grapefruit and rhubarb acidity.
• ​Shaded Sun Drying: The clean parchment is spread on raised African drying beds. Over the course of 12 to 20 days, it slowly dehydrates, with the mill team carefully deploying shade nets during peak afternoon heat to protect the beans’ cellular structure and preserve the sweet toffee base.