This coffee reveals subtle notes of raspberry and almonds, enriched by touches of cocoa and lemon zest. Its complex flavor combines fruitiness, sweetness and a slight acidity for a refined and balanced tasting.
Kii Washing Station, commonly referred to as the Mill in Kenya, is located in Ngairiama, Gichugu Division, Kirinyaga District, in the heart of Kenya’s Central Province. It is one of three mills, along with Kiangoi and Karimikui, that make up the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society.
The Rungeto Farmers Cooperative was formed in 1997 following the reorganization of the Ngiriama Cooperative. Today, it has about 850 members who farm rich clay loam lands nestled between 1,600 and 1,900 meters above sea level.
The Kii Mill, or mill, was built in 1995 in a picturesque setting at the foot of Mount Kenya. The snow-capped peaks of this majestic mountain provide a spectacular backdrop for drying on raised beds. The Kii River, from which the factory takes its name, plays a vital role in the landscape, providing the fresh water used to wash the coffees.
During harvest, farmers selectively pick coffee cherries from their trees and deliver them to the wet factory for processing. On the day of delivery, the coffee cherries are stripped of their pulp and passed through winding washing channels. This allows for an initial separation of dense beans from immature “mbunis” (floaters) through water flotation, where the denser beans sink and pass through the channels to be fermented. After the pulp has been removed through fermentation, the beans pass through washing channels where the floaters are further separated and the dense beans are cleaned of any remaining pulp. The washed beans are then soaked in fresh water for 24 hours. Afterwards, the parchment coffee is carefully dried on raised beds for 11 to 14 days, then it is packaged in bags and left to rest in its parchment before shipping.
