Burundi Agahore Bugendana Washed (green)

Description

Region: Gitega Province
Farms: 400 Local coffee farm
Farm / Estate: Agahore Mini Washing Station
Varietals: Bourbon, Mbrizi
Processing:  Fully washed
Altitude:  1600-1850 masl

In the cup: Black currants, juicy, dark chocolate, spicy.

Background:

Agahore Coffee  is a speciality mini washing station and organic coffee plantation based in Burundi East Africa. Agahore in Kirundi means the best coffee and their aim is to produce the best speciality coffee. Construction of the  washing started in early 2016 and was completed a year later. Focus was placed on using local building materials as much as possible with a design to fit the topography and aesthetic of the land. An emphasis has been placed on investing in quality and they plan on making

continuous improvements in this direction. The washing station buys coffee cherries from roughly 400 neighbouring coffee farmers around Bugendana in Gitega province. Only ripe cherry is bough, the mill is very strict about this.

For fully washed coffee, the Kenya type double fermentation technique is used to extract sweetness and fruit flavours to add to the high acidity found in Burundi coffees. After thoroughly washing and soaking the coffee, coffee parchment is hand sorted before sun drying on elevated beds.

The mill only uses spring water for washing and their drying tables are positioned to get maximum sunlight from East to West and face in northerly direction. The mill also gets a very cooling wind off the valley which the Mubarazi River runs through, something that speeds up drying.

Good selling prices meant the mill could give their farmers a 40% bonus, the highest in the country and showed partner growers why there was emphasis on quality practices.