Tanzania Ngorongoro – Heights Estate – Washed Bourbon Peaberry

Description

This washed Peaberry coffee comes from the Heights Estate in Tanzania, East Africa. Heights Estate was established in the mid 1900’s, and is currently located in the ring of Ngorongoro crater within the Karatu area of Tanzania. Within this region, coffee grows from dark volcanic soil and is of Bourbon variety. Cherries are pulped, fermented, washed and sun dried on raised drying tables.

Tanzania contains lowest and highest elevations in all of Africa, the floor of Lake Tanganyika (352 meters below sea level) and Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters above sea level) are both located in Tanzania. This coffee growing region is south of these extreme landmarks, formed on the slopes of Mount Rungwe. The rounder shaped peaberry, formed from the maturation of one seed per cherry rather than the typical two seeds, is meticulously sorted during the milling process for its distinct flavor profiles.

Tasting Notes: An absolutely wonderful Tanzanian offering. Crisp, clean and sweet, this is an African coffee everyone will love. Lighter roasting will provide some acidity, so only go light if you like the citric/floral/fruity type cup but easily clean enough to hold the roast point, gets a little jasmine tea spice here, especially in the aromatics. Medium roasts are likely a better starting point for non-acidity fans, starts building those real nice chocolaty tones most traditional Tanz PB fans look for. Still sweet edged but not front loaded with the fruity/floral. Will still have some soft fruit tones mixing with that chocolaty edge with hints of spice lingering on the tongue. Also very tasty at a dark roast but mutes the sweet edge to the cup, more robust chocolate tones with hints of smoke in the aftertaste. Some of the fruity factor might pop out still as the cup cools but dark roasts kill the fruity edge.

Roasting Notes: Typically a medium to dark roast coffee, only those who like acidity will prefer it lighter roasted. Fuller roasts bring out the wonderful chocolaty spice notes without all the herbal tea like stuff that comes along with so many other Africans.