This Kenyan coffee from the American roaster SEY Coffee in Brooklyn is a filter coffee with a darker fruity profile, a clean body, and a very elegant lightness. The flavor profile features black currant, rhubarb, and hibiscus, giving the cup a juicy, fresh, and delicately floral character. The black currant brings a pronounced fruitiness, the rhubarb adds a livelier, slightly tart note, and the hibiscus lends the coffee an aromatic lightness and a clean finish. The result is a classic-style Kenyan coffee that has energy and character without veering into aggressive acidity. On the contrary, it retains a pleasant sweetness, precision, and character that continues to unfold as it cools. This is a coffee for anyone who enjoys clean African filter coffees with clearly discernible fruit notes and a longer, elegant aftertaste.
The coffee comes from the Kiambu region in central Kenya, specifically from the Malaki Estate, which is jointly managed by mother and daughter Florence and Jessica Marigi. The farm was founded in 1969 by Florence’s husband, Edward Marigi, and to this day remains one of the few local estates that have not switched to modern hybrid varieties. Instead, they continue to grow older, traditional Kenyan selections, likely consisting primarily of SL varieties. The coffee trees grow at an altitude of approximately 1,900 meters on the western slopes of the Aberdare Mountains, where cooler conditions slow the ripening of the cherries and help develop their sweetness and aromatic complexity. In addition to coffee, the farm also grows macadamia nuts and avocados.
Processing is carried out using the washed method. The cherries are hand-picked at optimal ripeness, then floated to remove light and damaged fruits, and hulled on the same day they are harvested. The coffee then undergoes dry fermentation for 36 to 48 hours, during which the remaining pulp layer is released. After washing, the parchment is dried on raised beds until it reaches a moisture content of approximately 10 percent. It is precisely this process that gives the coffee its clean, clearly defined profile and allows the black currant, rhubarb, and subtle floral notes of hibiscus to shine through. The result is a precise, juicy, and very elegant Kenyan coffee that beautifully showcases the potential of traditional varieties and the high-altitude terroir of Kiambu.