A lakeside community coffee shaped by care and quiet collaboration.
Fruit-forward, floral, and deeply expressive.
This natural Red Bourbon comes from Bikunda Hill, a micro-community of seven farmers living along the shores of Lake Kivu in Rwanda’s Nyamasheke District. Each harvest, they gather their cherries and travel together by boat to Ngoma Washing Station, a ritual that reflects both shared effort and pride. Since 2019, Emmanuel Rusatira of Baho Coffee has isolated lots from specific hills like Bikunda, an uncommon level of traceability in East Africa that brings visibility, stronger relationships, and above-national farmgate pricing to smallholder producers. Baho also covers transport from the island, reinforcing a long-term partnership over transactions.
At Ngoma, cherries are meticulously hand-sorted and floated before drying slowly on raised beds for 35–40 days. Continuous hand-picking removes defects as sugars develop gradually, building depth without heaviness. Once optimal moisture is reached, the coffee rests before milling and final sorting, preserving structure and clarity.
In the cup, expect black cherry brightness layered with hibiscus florals and dark chocolate structure. The sweetness is defined and steady, finishing clean with composed acidity, a natural process that emphasizes clarity as much as fruit intensity.
This lot reflects intentional sourcing and careful processing at every stage, resulting in a composed yet expressive cup shaped by community, environment, and long-term partnership.
We chose this lot because it carries the rhythm of a small community working together, not in scale, but in shared purpose. The image of farmers crossing Lake Kivu with their harvest isn’t just a detail; it reflects the kind of care and commitment that shapes everything that follows.
What stood out to us is how that collaboration translates into the cup. Nothing feels rushed or excessive. The fruit is expressive, but held with restraint; the structure is clear, but never rigid. It’s a natural process that feels considered from start to finish.
There’s a quiet integrity here in the way the coffee is grown, moved, and processed, and in the relationships that sustain it.
It’s a coffee that feels connected to the people behind it, and that connection shows in every sip.
