Tasting notes:	Cherry, red licorice and almond
Origin:	Ruli, Rwanda
Processing:	Washed and dried on raised beds
Altitude:	2020 masl
Varietals:	Red Bourbon
Washing station:	Musasa Ruli

This specific lot comes from one producer named Faustin Ribalimana. He is a 57-year-old coffee farmer, who has been a pioneering member of the cooperative since its inception. Living just 200 meters from the cooperative's headquarters, has allowed him to elevate his farm into a model of success. Faustin benefits greatly from convenient access to training sessions, advisory visits, and other resources, which has strengthened his coffee farming practices over the years.

With 1,246 coffee trees, Faustin relies on coffee for 80% of his income. His unwavering commitment to coffee farming led to him being among the first recipients of a cow provided by the cooperative in 2012. This support enabled him to expand his coffee plantation, educate his family, and embark on renovating his home.

Faustin’s farm has become a model of excellence, recognized for its high standards. This distinction affords him special treatment at the cooperative, where his coffee is processed exclusively for carefully curated special lots that cater to specific customer preferences. Faustin’s story is a testament to the impact of longterm cooperative support, where investment in farmers’ livelihoods translates into premium coffee experiences for consumers. He delivers his coffee to the Ruli washing station to be processed.

The level of care that Musasa Dukunde Kawa Ruli takes over the processing is impressive. Cherries are hand-picked only when fully ripe and then pulped that same evening using a mechanical pulper that divides the beans into three grades by weight. The facilities here include a machine that removes the mucilage more efficiently, thus reducing the overall fermentation time.

After pulping, the coffee is fermented overnight (for around 12 hours) and then graded again using flotation channels that sort the coffee by weight (the heaviest – or A1 – usually being the best). The wet parchment is then soaked in water for between 18 and 24 hours to stabilise moisture content.

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