Rwanda - Kivu Lake Decaf

Origin: Lake Kivu, Rwanda

Grown between 1,600 and 2,200 metres above sea level on the terraced hillsides overlooking Lake Kivu, in Rwanda's Western Province, this coffee comes from smallholder farmers cultivating Red and Yellow Bourbon alongside the local Jackson variety, heritage plants suited to Rwanda's volcanic soil and high altitude. The lake itself moderates the climate, keeping temperatures steady through the year, while the surrounding hills allow cherries to ripen slowly, building the density and sweetness that make coffees from this stretch of the Albertine Rift so distinctive. Cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness and delivered to a local washing station, where they're fully washed before drying, the same meticulous processing that has helped rebuild Rwanda into one of Africa's most respected specialty origins over the past two decades.

Decaffeinated with care

To remove the caffeine without stripping the coffee's character, the green beans undergo the Ethyl Acetate (EA) process, a gentle method that uses a naturally occurring compound (also found in fruit) to draw out caffeine while preserving the bean's original flavour compounds. The result is a decaf that tastes like it isn't one.

In the cup

Almonds, milk chocolate, and dried fruit, with the round, comforting body typical of washed Rwandan coffees. A decaf built for people who still want a proper cup at the end of the day.

At a glance

• Region: Lake Kivu, Rwanda
• Altitude: 1,600-2,200 masl
• Varietals: Red & Yellow Bourbon, Jackson
• Process: Fully Washed, EA Decaf
• Tasting notes: Almonds, milk chocolate, dried fruit