Luna Kenya Karatu AA SL28 *Washed Filter*

Roaster's Tasting Notes: Redcurrant / Mango / Honey Melon Process: Washed Varieties: SL28 Roast Date: June 17 250g / 8.8oz

Luna is located in Vancouver, B.C.

From Luna

SL28 from Karatu washing station, where members of Gitwe Farmer's Coop deliver their ripe cherries to be processed. A traditional take on washed processing, with a signature 72hr. double soak, resulting in a crisp and clean profile with a refreshing redcurrant, mango, & melon-like character.

Karatu Coffee Factory has operated since 1965 in Gatundu Division, serving smallholder farmers across four villages on red volcanic soils similar to those around Gititu, just a few kilometres away. The factory processes coffee using Kenya's signature double wash method: a 24-hour initial fermentation, water replacement, then continued fermentation up to 72 hours total. A tradition that started as a practical response to managing drying bed capacity during peak harvest. The parchment then moves to raised beds for 7 to 15 days, depending on weather and volume.

Like most washing stations in the region, Karatu operates within real constraints. Farmers deliver cherry, get paid immediately, and the factory moves coffee through the system as efficiently as possible. The factory has made environmental choices like wastewater pits away from water sources, encouragement of on-farm shade planting, practical steps towards sustainability. Farmers here grow banana and maize alongside coffee, with grevillea or macadamia providing shade. This outturn is particularly neat as its dominant SL28 and it's a vibrant one, with things that remind us of redcurrant and ripe mango.

This washed SL28 from Karatu, Kenya represents the classic clarity associated with the region and varietal. SL28 is prized for its ability to express bright acidity and complex fruit notes, particularly in washed coffees, where the removal of fruit contact during processing allows cleaner flavor development. Revolver Coffee's tasting profile—redcurrant, mango, and honey melon—aligns with what washed East African coffees typically deliver: defined berry and stone fruit character with underlying sweetness. This lot offers a straightforward expression of origin and varietal, showcasing how Kenya's high-altitude growing regions and the SL28's genetic profile combine to produce nuanced fruit-forward complexity.