Rwanda Abadatezuka COOP Honey

Tastes Like: Citrus Marmalade, Cocoa, Praline

Washing Station    Women Abadatezuka COOP
Process    Honey
Variety     Bourbon
Elevation    1850-2200 MASL
Region    Cyato sector, Nyamasheke district, Western Province
Country    Rwanda

This lot is specifically selected from the Women-owned farms in the coop. A premium is paid directly to the women above and beyond the quality premium paid. 

Abadatezuka Cooperative is a group of smallholder farmers in Rwanda's Western Province who deliver their coffee in cherry to the Cyato Washing Station, which is located in the Cyato sector of the Nayamasheke district in that region. The producers here grow coffee at elevations all the way up to 2,200 meters above sea level, and the washing station is located at 1,850 meters above sea level. The washing station was established in 2017.

This coffee is delivered in ripe red cherries by the producers, then sorted and dried on raised beds after processing. During the drying period, the coffee is actively rotated and moved in order to ensure even drying.

One interesting facet to coffee here is that the native honeybees that live in and around the Nyungwe forest where the coffee is grown are said to be responsible in part to the "unique profile" this coffee has. The bee-assisted pollination, fertile ground (black humus and sandy soil), and cool lake-affected climate thanks to the area's proximity to Lake Kivu contribute to the flavors found in the cup. The farmers use no synthetic inputs, either as fertilizers or as pest control.