What better way to start the new year with a fantastic & delicious new coffee from Kenya. We think this is some of the finest coffee Kenya has to offer that we have tried to date, after that first sip of this creamy, vanilla and notes of apple coffee, we just knew we had to share it with you guys.
The coffee cherries are grown by a lady called Penniah Wambui Ngigi on her small 4 hectare Ngigi Estate in the Kiambu region, central Kenya. Here the altitude is 1700 to 1800 meters above sea level which creates the perfect conditions for this sweet, dense cherry to form. Penniah uses the Arabica varieties SL28 and SL34 which both human made hybrid creations from the Bourbon variety. SL28 and SL34 perform well in high altitudes like on this estate.
The process behind this mouth watering coffee is fully washed. After selective handpicking, cherry is processed on the estate. First, cherry is pulped on a motorized hand pulper. Then, it is fermented for 16 to 24 and, after being washed, is soaked in fresh water for 24 hours. Parchment is dried on raised beds to 10 to 18 days. The reason this coffee is such high quality and so tasty is because Penniah ensures each step of the process, from growing, picking and processing is done with absolute precision, skill and passion ensuring each and every bean makes that speciality grade.
With this special coffee, we knew we had to nail the roasting profile to bring out the absolute best within the beans, we tried all lengths of roasting from light cinnamon through to a real dark roast and found the coffee best at the early stages of a medium roast. Here the coffee produces a full bodied, clean, bright and smooth cup with a vibrant acidity to it. The tasting notes that pull through is a creamy, vanilla buttery taste with apple notes creating the acidity. We love this coffee best as a pour over or filter but is very versatile and makes a great espresso with milk.
To buy this creamy coffee click here.