Kenya Kiambu AA Tatu Estate Washed

[A word from the roaster]

Most Kenyan coffee is made by smallholders who bring their cherries to a cooperative washing station. Tatu Estate works the other way. It is an estate that completes everything, from growing to processing and drying, within a single farm. AA is one of the large-bean grades in the Kenyan standard.

I finished it at a medium-light roast. On the palate, a fruitiness reminiscent of ripe citrus and red fruit spreads first, and a concentrated sweetness follows behind. The mouthfeel has body, and as the temperature drops it turns to a round, apricot-like sweetness.

Fruitiness, sweetness, body. Beans in which the character of Kenya comes together plainly.

[Origin notes]
Tatu Estate lies about 25km from the capital, Nairobi, in Juja and Thika in the Kiambu region. The altitude is 1,570m, annual rainfall is 900 to 1,350mm, and temperatures range between 13 and 26°C. Underfoot is fertile red alluvial soil. Rich in organic matter, well drained and well aerated, it is soil that suits the coffee tree. Harvest takes place twice a year, in May to June and November to December.

The strength of this estate is its water. The land borders the Mukuyu and Kamiti rivers, and that water is stored in three nearby dams. Even in years of unsettled weather, the trees can be raised and the coffee processed with clean water. Mechanization of the farm work is also advanced, and by analyzing the composition of soil and leaves throughout the year, the estate works to deliver fertilizer where it is needed, in the amount that is needed.

Harvested cherries are carried to the washing station inside the estate, where only the ripe red fruit is sorted out by hand. The pulp is removed using water-flow density sorting (a method that removes unripe fruit by the flow of water and differences in density), followed by fermentation, soaking (a step of resting the beans in clean water after fermentation) and washing. The coffee is then sun-dried on African beds (raised drying racks). During the hours of strongest sun and at night, the beds are covered with yellow sheets so the parchment dries evenly.

The estate has 80 permanent staff and 500 seasonal workers at harvest. Only people aged 18 or over may work there, discrimination by ethnic group has been abolished, and a system is in place under which everyone is evaluated equally according to their work. Staff who have received technical training are highly motivated, and that leads to better and more consistent quality.

[Tasting notes]
An aroma reminiscent of ripe citrus and red fruit. The mouthfeel has body, and a clearly defined fruitiness spreads along with a concentrated sweetness. The finish is long and clear. Black or with milk, the body does not get lost.

Product: Kenya Kiambu AA Tatu Estate Washed
Region: Kiambu region
Altitude: 1,570m
Producer: Tatu Estate
Variety: SL28, SL34
Process: Washed (water-flow density sorting, fermentation, soaking, sun-dried on African beds)
Roast: Medium-light roast