Rwanda Coffee

Rwanda rebuilt its coffee sector around washing stations and quality. Its Red Bourbons are bright, sweet and tea-like.

Altitude: 5,000–6,500 ft
Harvest: March–July
Varieties: Red Bourbon
Usual process: Washed
Rarity index: 95/100
On Roasterland: 6 coffees · 6 roasters

In the cup

Red fruit, black tea and florals

Bright and elegant: red apple, cranberry, black tea, orange blossom and a clean finish.

Red fruitBlack teaFloralCitrus

Taste profile

SweetnessMedium

AcidityBright

BodyMedium

BitternessLow

From our tasting of every coffee from this origin on Roasterland. Each coffee page has its own profile.

Rwanda, side by side

Same origin, different small roasters. Each roasts it its own way.

Copper Door Coffee Roasters · Denver Rwanda Single Origin

Brown sugar, green grape, pear

Natural · Medium roast

Curious$1.01/cup

In stock at the roaster

$22.95 / 12 oz

Indaba Coffee Roasters · Spokane Rwanda Sholi

Stone fruit, brown sugar, rooibos

Washed · Light roast

Familiar$1.00/cup

In stock at the roaster

$22.75 / 12 oz

Beacon Coffee Roasters · Bozeman Rwanda Muhororo

Vanilla, brown sugar, chocolate

Washed · Light roast

Familiar$0.79/cup

In stock at the roaster

$18.00 / 12 oz

George Howell Coffee · Acton Kanzu, Rwanda

Sweet plum, orange

Familiar$1.27/cup

In stock at the roaster

$29.00 / 12 oz

Flight Coffee Co. · Bedford Rwanda Mbizi CWS

Dates, molasses, cola

Washed

Easygoing$0.83/cup

In stock at the roaster

$19.00 / 12oz

Troubadour Coffee Roasters · Fairview Park Rwanda Kinini Village

Cola, black tea, honey, tamarind, lemon

Honey

Familiar$1.30/cup

In stock at the roaster

$29.50 / 12 oz

Coffee	Roaster	Process	Roast	Tastes like	Price
Rwanda Single Origin	Copper Door Coffee Roasters	Natural	Medium	Brown sugar, green grape, pear	$22.95
Rwanda Sholi	Indaba Coffee Roasters	Washed	Light	Stone fruit, brown sugar, rooibos	$22.75
Rwanda Muhororo	Beacon Coffee Roasters	Washed	Light	Vanilla, brown sugar, chocolate	$18.00
Kanzu, Rwanda	George Howell Coffee			Sweet plum, orange	$29.00
Rwanda Mbizi CWS	Flight Coffee Co.	Washed		Dates, molasses, cola	$19.00
Rwanda Kinini Village	Troubadour Coffee Roasters	Honey		Cola, black tea, honey, tamarind, lemon	$29.50

About the region

A coffee comeback

After 1994, Rwanda invested heavily in coffee quality. Hundreds of washing stations were built so smallholders could sell ripe cherry instead of home-processed beans.

In 2008 Rwanda became the first African country to host a Cup of Excellence competition. Lake Kivu’s shores, Huye and Nyamasheke now produce some of East Africa’s finest coffee.

Roasters who roast Rwanda

Atomic Coffee Roasters Beverly, MA Beacon Coffee Roasters Bozeman, MT Copper Door Coffee Roasters Denver, CO Flight Coffee Co. Bedford, NH George Howell Coffee Acton, MA Indaba Coffee Roasters Spokane, WA

If you like Rwanda, try

AfricaBurundiRed currant · Black tea · Orange · Floral

AfricaDR CongoRaspberry · Plum · Black tea · Citrus

AfricaEthiopiaJasmine · Bergamot · Blueberry · Lemon

Questions about Rwanda

What is the “potato defect”?

An occasional off flavor in Great Lakes coffee caused by a bug. Washing stations sort carefully to avoid it.

How is Rwanda different from Burundi?

Similar varieties and style; Rwandan lots are often a little more floral and tea-like.