Uganda is the second-largest coffee exporter in Africa, right behind Ethiopia. That might surprise you. In fact, one of our baristas was very excited about trying this month’s coffee because he said he’s never had coffee from Uganda. If you’re drinking specialty coffee that’s farmed equitably, that might be why. Most of their exports are from cheap, commercial-grade coffee that’s blended by large companies like Nestle. Coffees like this month’s are going to start appearing more frequently though, thanks to folks like you who are willing to pay more for coffee that’s grown thoughtfully. Uganda’s high-altitudes and rich soil make it an excellent origin for high quality specialty beans. The challenge lies in lack of infrastructure and technical expertise. Those issues can be overcome, however.
We sourced this coffee with the help of Mountain Harvest, a Uganda organization born out of a coffee co-op in Mbale that works with smallholder coffee farmers in Uganda’s Mount Elgon region. The farmers, who typically own around 2 acres of land, grow coffee alongside other crops like bananas, beans, and corn. Mountain Harvest pays strong prices upfront and a bonus for every kilo sold. They’re wonderful to work with as we really see commitment to increasing production, improving processing, and supporting ecological, climate-smart farming practices.
This is an extremely drinkable coffee with a silky-smooth mouthfeel. It’s very clean and sweet. We got gingerbread cookie and sort of a floral, local honey vibe with a lot of subtler notes including orange, stone fruit, chamomile. and vanilla.
All The Good Coffee Deets:
Flavor profile
sweet and floral
gingerbread cookie, wild honey, chamomile
Roast
light
Process
washed
Altitude
1600-2200 meters
Varietal/Cultivar
SL-14, Nyasaland
Lot Size: 1000kg, Cup Score: 87
Producer
Mountain Harvest
Yilwankako, Buginyanya, Bushiyi,
Makali, Bukalasi, Sipi
Relationship Established: 2023
Country
Uganda
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