Rwanda Nyampinga

Blind Assessment: Deeply sweet, cocoa-toned. Dark chocolate, cedar, magnolia, caramel, black peppercorn in aroma and cup. Round, gently resonant acidity; syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is thoroughly chocolate-toned, with pleasantly smoky background hints of cedar.

Notes: The word “Nyampinga” refers to the coming of age of a young woman who is proud, beautiful and respected in her community. Since 2013, the Nyampinga Women’s Cooperative has received training in agronomy, market access, and quality control from Sustainable Harvest Rwanda, by way of a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies. 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 tied for the third-highest rating in a tasting of women-produced coffees for Coffee Review‘s June 2017 tasting report. Founded in 1994 by R.C. and Beth Beall, Texas Coffee Traders is an Austin, Texas-based roaster specializing in sourcing quality coffees for both retail and wholesale markets. Visit www.texascoffeetraders.com for more information.

The Bottom Line : A Rwanda tactfully roasted to the dark edge of medium; chocolate-centered with floral and spice notes complicated by a hint of smoky aromatic wood.