Uganda Mount Elgon – Washed Green Coffee (1 kg)

Origin: Bugisu, eastern Uganda
Producer: Approximately 8,900 smallholder farmers
Growing altitude: 1,250–1,900 meters above sea level
Varieties: Typica, SL-14, SL-28
Process: Washed

Harvested: 2025/2026

On the slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, Sipi Falls roars down from the heights—one of the country’s most magnificent natural sights. According to the Bagisu people, who have been growing coffee here for generations, God lives on the mountain, high beyond the reach of humans, and when he is in a good mood, he lets it rain. He has apparently been in a good mood for a long time, because the slopes are lush and green year after year. It is in this volcanic soil, at altitudes between 1,250 and 1,900 meters, that just over 8,900 smallholder farmers cultivate their coffee bushes on farms averaging just under two hectares. Coffee is the Bugisu region’s heritage and pride—and one of the reasons Uganda now has a well-deserved place on the global specialty coffee scene.

This lot consists of Typica, SL-14, and SL-28, carefully washed and sorted to Grade AA—the highest quality grade. What makes this green coffee particularly rewarding for the home roaster is its versatility: it reveals two distinctly different profiles depending on how you roast it. When medium-roasted, especially for drip coffee, it becomes lively and effervescent—with notes of dried plum, red berries, and a hint of chocolate in a velvety body. If you roast it darker instead—for richer filter brews or, not least, for espresso—the coffee opens up in a completely different direction: sweet dates, a rich, earthy nuttiness reminiscent of Brazil nuts, generous dark chocolate, and a balsamic cedar note on the finish. The same beans, two destinations—and a great exercise in just how much the roast level actually determines the flavor.

Common to both profiles is a rich, enveloping mouthfeel and a long, smooth, and sweet aftertaste. With a lighter roast, you get the liveliness of the fruit and a bright sweetness; with a darker roast, a warm, nutty roundness with a lingering depth. It’s a generous and universally loved coffee no matter how you brew it—a green coffee for the home roaster who likes to experiment with roast levels and wants a versatile batch that’s easy to come back to, cup after cup.

This green coffee arrived at the roastery on April 29, 2026, and is from the 2025/2026 harvest.