RWANDA KANYEGE ISIMIBI | September 2023
SEPTEMBER BEAN OF THE MONTH | RWANDA KANYEGE ISIMIBI
September’s Bean of the Month is juicy bodied beauty we know Merlo drinkers will love. Flavours of pomegranate and sweet milk chocolate with a hint of spice, a medium honeycomb body and cinnamon aromatics, ending with a smooth vanilla finish.
Rwanda Kanyege Isimbi is just as delicious first thing in the morning as it is after dinner at night. The sweet dessert flavours are balanced by impeccable cleanliness from the perfect processing, so the individual flavours work harmoniously while each being able to shine in their own right.
ISIMIBI'S ORIGIN PROFILE
Rwanda has become a specialty coffee powerhouse in the last decade, with farmers improving both quality and yield in each harvest.
The country's position in the Great Rift Valley means it has the high altitudes and volcanic soils, which provide perfect conditions to craft extraordinary coffee. It took an extended period of political stability to allow the producers to drive the industry forward, working in co-operatives to share knowledge, technical expertise and resources to improve as a unified group.
The September Bean of the Month is a project from the Co-operative of Coffee Growers in Kageyo. They chose the word “Isimbi” for this offering for its dual meaning: taken literally it means the white cap on top of a volcano, but it is used in Rwandan culture as a byword for purity. With that as a guiding principle, the producers chose the cleanest, crispest beans from their harvest, to create a coffee that really hits the highest peaks.
TASTING NOTESThe coffee’s immaculate processing comes through in the juicy body and winey acidity, which balances the warmth of the flavour profile. Dessert sweet all the way from start to finish, the Kanyege Isimbi is a harmonious blend of elements, with a touch of spice adding a little note of interest to the rich chocolate and vanilla. This is a coffee that tastes beautiful as a white coffee or taken black.
SCORE: 86/100
FLAVOUR: Pomegranate, Sweet Milk Chocolate, Honeycomb
AROMA: Cinnamon
BODY: Juicy
AFTERTASTE: Smooth Vanilla.
High on sweetness and super clean, the Rwanda Kanyege Isimbi is perfect for espresso machines. As a short or long black the chocolate richness carries through and the vanilla finish adds a gentle note to the aftertaste.
Adding milk only amplifies the gorgeous dessert flavours – nothing goes better with spiced chocolate than milk! Plant mylks are great too: coconut and almond add a new nutty flavour dimension that’s very complementary.
For filter, Aeropress is a lovely choice. You’ll get the chocolate brownie effect from full immersion brewing. Pourovers will sing with clarity, and the delicate cinnamon gets a chance to shine.
Above all this is a very easy drinking coffee, and you might want to pull the bigger plunger from the back of the pantry, because everyone is going to want a cup.
As you take your final sip of Rwanda Kanyege Isimbi, let the symphony of flavors and the story of its origins linger on your palate and in your mind. This coffee is a testament to the resilience of Rwandan farmers, the power of collaboration, and the pursuit of excellence.
So brew a cup, savour each note, and raise your cup to the journey of Isimbi—one that encapsulates the essence of flavour, purity, and shared growth.