Kibingo

We have long admired the coffees from Kibingo. This lot reflects a departure from the region’s traditional washed style, with a processing approach that introduces a distinct and compelling expression.

High in the hills of Kayanza, northern Burundi, Kibingo 
washing station serves 1,739 smallholder farmers spread across 18 surrounding hills.
With farms sitting between 1,700 and 1,900 masl, most producers tend just 250 Red Bourbon trees in their gardens, yet the quality yielded is extraordinary.

Infrastructure at the station is extensive, with 10 fermentation tanks, 165 raised beds, and a network of traceable sorting processes ensuring consistency from delivery to drying.

At Kibingo, cherry is pulped within six hours of delivery and fermented for 96 hours using a carefully selected yeast strain, LALCAFÉ CIMA, which enhances clarity and structure in the cup. The result is a clean, sweet, and expressive profile that captures the distinct identity of Burundi’s highland terroir.

Burundi usually sits in the shadow of its East African neighbours, but the coffees we’ve sourced from here continue to stand out.