potent aromatics of whole clove, mace and all spice in the nose, caramel and molasses sweetness and a brisk flavor of black tea
Yandaro Station is a coffee cherry collection site located in Kayanza, Burundi’s northern province that borders neighboring Rwanda. The station itself is in the Kabarore Commune, which it serves, but also is a central coffee cherry delivery site for 22 of the surrounding villages. Farmers grow mostly older bourbon types, the original coffee cultivar introduced to the area in the 1930s by Catholic monks traveling from the island of Reunion. Yandaro sits at just under 1800 meters above sea level, and many of the farmers have coffee planted much higher than this.
Yandaro was built in the mid 1980s, a time when the World Bank was investing heavily in Burundi’s coffee sector, building out washing stations like Yandaro to serve the surrounding coffee communities. More recently they’ve come under the direction of a Burundi coffee investment group who are able to offer Yandaro, and several other Kayanza stations (Kibingo is another), agronomical assistance to station members, regular maintenance of washing station equipment and drying beds, and management teams who follow the coffee deliveries from cherry selection, to keeping lots separated by quality tiers. Since Sweet Maria’s partnering with this group, several of the stations have seen top placement in Burundi coffee competitions, including Yandaro placing 7th and 19th in recent Burundi Cup of Excellence competitions.
The dry fragrance of Yandaro shows smells of raw cane sugar with notes of vanilla bean and dark spices. Pouring hot water draws out the sweetness even more and you catch whiffs of cola soda and raw cane sugar in the steam. Caramel sweetness floods the cup and a wide range of molasses-type sugar flavor notes come through. Lemon-like brightness compliments raw sugar and black tea flavor notes and leads into a brisk finishing flavor. Though picking up a little bit black currant and raisin hints, fruit flavors are understated and it’s the spiced top notes that leave a lasting impression. A sachet of spice flavors come through in the nose like all spice, clove, mace and more.
- Origin: Burundi
- Region: Kabarore Commune, Kayanza Province
- Washing station: Yandaro Station
- Altitude: 1800 masl
- Cultivar: Bourbon
- Grade: A1
- Processing: Wet Process (Washed)
- Drying: Raised Bed and Patio Sun-Dried
- Sourcing: Sweet Maria’s