Scenery Coffee – Cyesha Natural

In Rwanda’s mountainous Western Province, the highlands of Nyamasheke produce some of East Africa’s most distinctive coffees. Cool temperatures, fertile soils and a long tradition of cultivating Red Bourbon contribute to coffees celebrated for their rich sweetness, elegant acidity and characteristic notes of black tea and warming spice.

Grown between 1,450 and 1,800 metres by around 500 smallholder farmers, this exceptional lot comes from the Cyesha washing station, operated by Muraho Trading Company. Here, carefully selected cherries are naturally processed and slowly dried on raised beds for an extraordinary 50 days, developing remarkable depth and complexity. Through partnerships with Raw Material, the station also supports farmers with free compost, new coffee seedlings and agricultural training, helping improve both harvest quality and long-term livelihoods.

Expect ripe passionfruit, spiced plum jam and dried strawberries, layered with cinnamon, clove and star anise. As it cools, rich Assam tea, muscovado sugar and milk chocolate emerge. Full-bodied, deeply aromatic and wonderfully complex, this is a fascinating expression of Rwandan coffee, with the richness of a fine red wine but none of the boozy fermentation character.