Congo Muungano

Blind Assessment: Sweetly savory, high-toned. Blackberry, freesia-like flowers, orange zest, brown sugar, juniper in aroma and cup. Rich, savory acidity; delicate, though rather syrupy mouthfeel. The finish is especially savory-toned, resonant with notes of juniper (berry and bark) and bittersweet orange zest.

Notes: Muungano, the name of this cooperative, means “togetherness” in Swahili. One-third of the coop’s members are women, many of whom were widowed by war, and this coop addresses gender inequality by partnering with Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) to highlight the work of women and to help all members of the coop assume their rightful places in the supply chain. Produced entirely from trees of strains of the Bourbon variety of Arabica, and processed by the conventional wet or “washed” method, in which skin and fruit flesh are removed from the beans or seeds before they are dried. This coffee is certified Fair Trade by Fair Trade USA, meaning it was purchased from small-holding farmers at a “fair” or economically sustainable price. This coffee tied for the third-highest rating in a tasting of women-produced coffees for Coffee Review‘s June 2017 tasting report. Allegro Coffee, a subsidiary of Whole Foods Market, offers one of the country’s largest selections of single-origin coffees. Visit www.allegrocoffee.com or call 800-227-1107 for more information.

The Bottom Line : An intriguing Congo cup from a cooperative that is leading the recovery of the Kivu region from civil war, and a sensory gift for those who enjoy savory-leaning coffees complicated and deepened by berry and citrus notes.