Heart & Graft Coffee Roastery: Chateau 77: Kenya, Thuti, Washed

The Thuti is also from the Nyeri region, from a smaller co-operative of 488 farmers (378 men and 110 women) whose farms cover a total of 80.8 acres. The farms that use the Thuti mill are from a more consistent very high altitude of 1800m. Being from the same region as the Kagumoini, the coffees benefit from the same cool climate and fertile soil as the Kagumoini, as well as immaculate picking and processing.

As well as the farmers, skill, climate and fertile soil, the Thuti, like so many great Kenyan coffees over the years owe their enduring desirability to the variety of coffee plant they grow, the famous, if unromantically named, SL28. SL stands for Scottish Laboratories. Between 1935 and 1939, 42 coffee trees of various origins were selected and studied for the amount of coffee cherry they produced, resistance to drought and diseases and the cup quality of the coffee that could be produced. SL28 was cultivated from a single tree selected from this study and widely distributed as it was the star of the show! Over the last 70 years, research has continued and other varietals such as SL34, Batian and Ruiru 11 have been introduced by farmers, aiming to keep the balance of exceptional flavour, hardiness and yield.

A medium roast of this coffee delivers top notch juicy acidity with the satisfying juiciness of white grapes and red currants and a sweetness of light brown sugar. As with the Kagumoini, this fabulous multi layered coffee is packed with fruity sweetness, however it's brewed.