This is our first naturally processed coffee from Rwanda we have had in stock - not a typical processing story from this country and this is a mark of the unusually traceable and distinctive origin of this coffee.

This coffee is also a wonderful example of the complex texture this processing method can highlight in the cup.

In Rwanda, as in many East African countries, coffees are sourced from cooperatives or mills that organise and process coffees of local smallholder farmers. In this case, the wet mill Mahembe was established on the family farm Gatare by the farmer's son, Justin Musabyimana, who had returned from a period of travel with ideas about how to do things differently.

Justin's son Willie now manages the Mahembe mill, which processes coffee from neighbouring farmers as well as this coffee from his grandfather's Gatare farm.

After sorting at the farm level and occasional additional mill sorting, the cherries are received at the station, floated to remove light beans, and set out for drying immediately. There are many rounds of hand-sorting done at different stages during the drying.

Naturally processed, unnaturally good... that's our Gatare!