Rwanda / Shyira

This washed Rwanda is brought to us by our friends at Higa Coffee. Kenny Ntwali and his team have consistently brought us some of the best coffees available in Rwanda over the years, and this one is no exception.

Shyira Washing Station, located at the foothills of Virunga National Park, is where the magic happens. Shyira is the highest-altitude washing station in Rwanda and is surrounded by a chain of volcanoes, also home to mountain gorillas. The altitude, temperate weather, and volcanic soil make for the perfect microclimate for this coffee to grow. Farmers bring the best cherries they have produced throughout the season, and sometimes that is just one pound! Despite the station serving over 1800 farmers, an unusually high number for such a small farm, each lot is from a group of just five top producers.

Coffee Profile

Flavor Notes:

Raisinets / Lemon Zest / Black Currant

Producer:

1869 Smallholder Farmers

Region:

Northern Province

Variety:

Red Bourbon

Process:

Washed

Coffee Bio

Higa works with farmers to create incentives that encourage them to continually produce exceptional specialty coffee and foster long-term relationships with farming communities. They specialize in coffees from Rwanda, Burundi, and live at origin, so they are able to get to know the producers personally. A cup of this coffee packs a syrupy sweet punch, reminiscent of chocolate-covered raisins with a subtle lemony overtone. Happy sipping!

This washed Red Bourbon from Rwanda's Northern Province offers a distinctive balance of dried fruit and bright citrus character. Produced by Higa Coffee, the lot presents raisin and black currant notes alongside lemon zest—a tasting profile that reflects both the varietal's inherent sweetness and the clarity typical of washed processing. The Bourbon varietal tends toward balanced acidity and syrupy body, qualities well-suited to Rwanda's high-altitude terroir. Spyhouse Coffee's approach to this lot draws out layered fruit complexity while maintaining clean, approachable flavors—a refined expression of what the region and varietal can offer.