Rwanda Sake Farm – Washed Green Coffee (1 kg)

Origin: Ngoma District, central Rwanda
Producer: Marie Laetitia Kayitesire, Sake Farm
Growing altitude: 1,450–2,000 meters above sea level
Varieties: Bourbon
Process: Washed
Harvested: 2025

Behind Sake Farm is Marie Laetitia Kayitesire, who founded the farm in 1999 in the Ngoma District of central Rwanda. It is a farm that stands out in the country for several reasons. The workforce consists predominantly of women, who also staff the farm’s own washing station—a deliberate choice that has become part of the farm’s very identity. Just over 2,200 smallholder farmers deliver their hand-picked berries here, and it speaks to the scale of the operation that each individual farmer owns an average of just 33 coffee bushes. The berries are transported to the station on foot, by bicycle, or by car, often directly from the field the same day. It is precisely this type of small-scale, artisanal logistics—multiplied by thousands of hands—that enables Rwandan specialty coffee to reach the level it does. More labor-intensive than efficient, but the result speaks for itself in the cup.

This lot consists exclusively of Bourbon, grown at altitudes between 1,450 and 2,000 meters, and is processed using a classic washed method: pulping, fermentation, rinsing in clean water, and slow drying on raised beds with regular turning. The green coffee has good density and even separation, making the lot very forgiving in the drum. We roasted it ourselves to a medium roast —a profile that provides optimal balance for filter and pour-over brewing, but also works well in a light-bodied French press, where the silkiness of the body has room to unfold.

In the cup, this is a sweet and juicy coffee with a silky, full-bodied mouthfeel. The flavors shift gently from mandarin to cherry, caramel, and a floral sweetness—with a subtle, welcoming herbal note in the background that enhances the overall experience without overpowering it. The finish is long and inviting. A green coffee for the home roaster looking for a cup to savor in big, leisurely sips—and who appreciates when a lot embodies both clear craftsmanship and a story worth sharing.

This green coffee arrived at the roastery on February 17, 2026, and is from the 2025 harvest.