Kii AA, Kenya

Nestled in the elevated southern foothills of Mount Kenya, farmers in the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society enjoy the advantage of being situated on fertile red volcanic soil, an ideal environment for cultivating exceptional Kenyan coffee. Tending to their half-acre plots and typically managing around 250 coffee trees, these farmers have long been delivering their carefully harvested cherries to the Kii Washing Station.

Despite its smaller size compared to other farmers cooperatives, Rungeto has established a reputation for its unwavering commitment to quality processing and meticulous attention to detail. This dedication has earned them recognition for producing remarkable coffees and operating some of the cleanest and best-organised factories in Kenya

At the Kii factory, only the ripest cherries are accepted, and they do an additional round of hand sorting and floating to eliminate lighter and damaged beans. Following this careful selection process, they depulp, ferment, and thoroughly wash the coffee. To solidify the distinctive Kenyan flavour profiles, the washed coffee is then soaked in fresh water for extended periods.

The drying phase is meticulous and takes place over a two-week period on raised beds. These are specifically designed to optimise air circulation and temperature control, ensuring the best drying process.

AA is a coffee grading term that refers to a specific, larger-than-normal bean size and is often considered the highest grade of Kenyan coffee. Beans with this grading are typically more flavourful and have a more complex profile because of their size and density.

Expect tasting notes of blackcurrant, grapefruit, and vanilla sugar.

Recommended brew methods:
Espresso, filter, cafetiere, Aeropress, stovetop