Muzo Janja Hill

Our first washed processed Rwanda release from the 2021 harvest is an annual staple from the Muzo washing station. This is our third year purchasing coffee from Muzo, and this season we worked with Baho to focus primarily on smaller lot separations. This specific offering consists of coffee from 13 smallholders that live nearest Janja Hill and deliver their coffee to Muzo.

The Muzo washing station is located in the Northern Province of Rwanda, near Volcanoes National Park and the border of Uganda. The lands surrounding Muzo, in the Gakenke district, are absolutely ideal for coffee growing - altitudes climbing above 2000 meters, dense volcanic soil, and very cool average temperatures. Because of the remote location, there are actually only a small handful of other stations near this area, and it is additionally Baho’s smallest station by far. For perspective, Emmanuel’s other stations produce anywhere from about 900 - 2000 60kg bags of green coffee per year; Muzo produces just around 300 bags. Unique challenges in this area include drastic mountainous topography and farms that are spread out and not centralized to the station. Because of these factors, Baho employees spend a significant amount of time driving around to collect coffee cherries from farmers rather than requiring everyone to deliver to them. The most important thing to note in these situations is that Emmanuel still pays full price and simply takes on the extra costs associated with this service himself. Baho has signed a 10 year lease with the Muzo Cooperative to manage the station for them, but they have plans to make big investments here and hopefully fully purchase in the future.

The Janja Hill offering is a part of Baho’s ongoing appellation project surrounding the Muzo. They’re focusing on smaller lot separations by processing groups of farmers’ coffee together based on the highest quality growing areas. The hills are often chosen based on altitude; coffees within the Janja Hill lot are all harvested from farms above 1900 masl and pack a distinct vibrancy and saturation of flavor.

Emmanuel shares:
Since these are new group that are forming around our cws [coffee washing station], based on what we think might be potential or unique in the zone, we are want make this model mutual benefit where farmers commit to what we are training them, commit to long and honest / loyal relationship with Baho and of course by focusing on both coffee quality and quantity. Then at the other side, Baho have responsibility of developing them, buying their cherries, marketing their coffee with full traceability and at the end, paying them highest possible price that will make them motivated and happy to grow coffee. we strongly believe that our strength is based on happy farmers that we work with.

As with all of our offerings from Baho, you can expect Muzo to present incredibly saturated, sweet, and complex flavors. The body is full and silky - think sweet black tea and gingerbread. Meanwhile, the acidity is lively and layered, showing off a plethora of fruit flavors like plum, blood orange, and lime. We’re tasting: cherry, plum, lime, fig, date, raisin, orange blossom, gingerbread, cinnamon roll, brown sugar, baking spices, black tea.