KENYA David Muge

Description

Terroir: Nandi Nandi Hills lies on the edge of the Great Rift Valley at an altitude of 1,900–2,100 metres. This high-altitude region has traditionally been known primarily for tea cultivation, whilst coffee has a relatively short history here. Most of the local farms, including Great Rift, were only established 10–15 years ago, making Nandi one of Kenya’s most interesting emerging coffee regions. The area is home to the Nandi tribe, whose long agricultural tradition and strong community-based approach to farming continue to influence the way coffee is grown to this day. Fertile volcanic soils, cool, misty mornings and extensive sugarcane plantations create the conditions for a naturally sweet and lively flavour profile. Thanks to growing investment from local producers, Nandi Hills is rapidly building a reputation as a region offering pure high-altitude coffees with a modern take on Kenyan terroir. Farm: Great Rift Great Rift Coffee is a family-run farm established five years ago following a switch from sugarcane to coffee cultivation. Its aim is to showcase the potential of the Nandi Hills area as a new speciality coffee region. This lot comes from several smallholder farmers in the Nandi Hills area, with whom Great Rift has a long-standing partnership. The farmers grow coffee on their own land and then deliver it to Great Rift for processing. The same volcanic soils that nourished sugarcane for decades now provide ideal conditions for the SL28, Batian and Ruiru 11 varieties. Great Rift operates according to the principles of diversified agriculture – sugarcane is still grown on part of the farm, beehives support pollination, and the farm also produces hay and rears livestock. Animal manure is composted and returned to the coffee fields, whilst the water used in coffee processing is used to irrigate the sugarcane fields. This creates a closed and regenerative farming system. The Great Rift team oversees the entire process – from the care of the coffee trees right through to the final processing – to ensure full traceability, respectful handling of the coffee and continuous quality improvement. Farmer: David Muge When David Muge returned to Kenya in 2017 after more than thirty years spent in the UK, he decided to support the community where his family’s coffee story began. The starting point was his mother’s small coffee farm in the Nandi Hills region. However, he soon realised that local growers lacked the necessary infrastructure to fully realise the potential of their coffee. Instead of focusing solely on his own farm, he invested in the development of the entire region. He built a local dry mill, designed and operated by Kenyans, which opened up new coffee processing opportunities for farmers from the wider area. The project quickly gained the support of the local community, who saw it as an opportunity to improve the quality of their produce, boost their livelihoods and work together to build a stronger future for Kenyan speciality coffee. Variety: SL28, Batian, Ruiru 11 Process: anaerobic natural Ripe coffee cherries are first sorted by hand and then submerged in water, where unripe and lower-quality cherries are separated. They are then fermented for 96 hours (4 days) in sealed containers without access to oxygen. This is followed by drying on African beds for approximately 2–3 weeks. Extra care is taken during the drying process itself. The cherries are turned regularly every 30 minutes to ensure even drying, and are covered or shaded depending on the prevailing conditions. This slow and controlled drying process results in a clean, complex and distinctly sweet flavour profile.