The limited edition Rwanda GASHARU from the Jedno Kafe roastery is a coffee that has been aged for several weeks in whiskey barrels, which has enhanced its natural sweetness and added subtle notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel. The aroma and flavor blend sweet strawberries, milk chocolate, and a light hint of whiskey, which pleasantly rounds out the taste.
Behind this unique lot is Gasharu Coffee, a project rooted in the Nyamasheke region, near the Rwanda-Congo-Nile mountain range and close to the Nyungwe Forest. The coffee is grown here by small farmers, often families who have been tending their farms for generations. They grow the traditional Bourbon variety, known for its sweetness and complexity. The project is led by Valentin Kimenyi, an agronomist and one of the nine sons of founder Celestine. He combines academic knowledge with a deep understanding of the local context and leads the farming community on a path of innovation and quality.
All coffee cherries are hand-picked and undergo intensive sorting on pre-drying tables. They are then sun-dried on raised wooden beds for 4 to 6 weeks. However, this selection is exceptional mainly thanks to the barrel-aged processing method, in which the coffee beans are stored in wooden whiskey barrels after drying. Over several weeks, they absorb the subtle tones of alcohol and oak wood, which are then reflected in the cup. This process is time-consuming and requires careful monitoring, but the result is a truly exceptional taste experience.
- Farm: Gasharu
- Washing station: Gasharu CWS
- Altitude: 1,800–2,110 m above sea level