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Gakenke / Burundi / Washed / Bourbon
Gakenke / Kayanza / Burundi / Washed / Bourbon / 1650 - 1950 MASL
This washed Bourbon from Burundi is a study in elegance and precision. Lively gooseberry acidity and succulent nectarine unfold alongside delicate lavender aromatics, while subtle vanilla sweetness lends depth and balance. A silky, tea-like mouthfeel and crystalline finish create a cup that is vibrant, composed, and effortlessly expressive.
Regular price
€16,00
per
kg
Größe:
200g
Gakenke / Burundi / Washed / Bourbon
Regular price
€16,00
per
kg
Product variants
Größe:
200g
What this coffee feels like
This washed Bourbon from Burundi feels like opening the windows of a quiet home just after sunrise. Cool morning air drifts through linen curtains as soft golden light slowly fills the room.
The lively brightness of gooseberry arrives with the freshness of the breeze, while ripe nectarine brings a gentle warmth that settles naturally into the space. Delicate lavender lingers quietly in the background, woven into the atmosphere rather than demanding attention, and a subtle vanilla sweetness adds the comforting familiarity of natural wood and soft textiles. Silky and tea-like in texture, the cup moves with effortless grace vibrant yet composed, energetic yet calm.
Its crystalline finish leaves behind the same feeling as the first deep breath of a clear morning: refreshing, balanced and quietly uplifting.
This coffee's story
Gakenke Washing Station is located in the province of Kayanza and was established in 1991. Farmers here own less than half a hectare of land, on average, and in addition to growing coffee, they also grow crops like bananas, beans, yams, taro, and cassava, both for sale and for household use. There are 2667 farmers that deliver to this washing station, each farmer holding only 250 trees on roughly a tenth of a hectare.
Due to the small size and yield on the average coffee farm or plot, washing stations are the primary point of purchase for us in Burundi. Unlike other coffee-growing regions in Central and South America where landholdings are slightly larger and coffee-centric resources are more available, most producers do not have space on their property or the financial means to do their wet- or dry-milling. Instead, the majority of growers deliver cherry to a facility that does sorting, blending, and post-harvest processing of day lots to create different offerings.
Since 2006, we have cupped coffees from more than 50 washing stations in an attempt to pinpoint those with the best practices, cleanest cups, and most high-quality nearby farms. While the logistics of buying coffees from Burundi are extremely challenging, we love the heavy figgy, fruity, and lively coffees we find here—they remind us like a Malbec, with a firm support of acidity.
Processing
Like many of Burundi's finest washed coffees, this Bourbon is processed with a strong emphasis on cleanliness and precision. Shortly after harvest, the cherries are delivered to the washing station, where they are depulped on the very same day. The coffee is then submerged in water and left to ferment for approximately 12 to 24 hours. Following fermentation, the parchment coffee undergoes an extensive washing process that lasts around two hours, ensuring that any remaining mucilage is thoroughly removed.
Once washed, the coffee is carefully spread across raised drying beds or drying tables, where it dries slowly under carefully monitored conditions. Depending on the weather, this stage typically takes around 20 days, allowing the coffee to reach the ideal moisture content before it is prepared for the next stages of processing. The duration of drying naturally varies with climatic conditions, making the weather an important factor throughout the final phase of production.