18. Kenya – AA Samburu Estate

Kenya has one of the most recognisable coffee styles in the world, famous for vivid acidity, concentrated fruit and exceptionally clean washed coffees.

The coffee is grown at high altitude, between approximately 1,066 and 1,828 metres above sea level combines three important Arabica varieties: SL28, SL34 and Bourbon. SL28 and SL34 are especially closely linked with Kenya’s reputation for quality. They were selected during twentieth century coffee research and became valued for the extraordinary cup quality they could produce in Kenyan conditions. Bourbon provides another important piece of the genetic background and is one of the classic arabica varieties found across many of the world’s best coffee origins.

The coffee is fully washed and patio dried. Washed processing removes the fruit before drying, resulting in the crisp, clearly defined structure associated with Kenyan coffee.

AA forms part of Kenya’s physical grading system and refers to the consistency of the size of the beans. This is important as it allows a more even roast and makes the coffee roasters life easier to get a consistent flavour profile from the beans, however it doesn’t guarantee that one coffee will automatically taste better than another, ultimately quality still comes down to the coffee in the cup.