Altitude: 1700 – 2000 m.a.s.l.Processing: Natural, hand-picked, sun-driedVariety: SL14 and SL28 and some older regional landrace varieties Cup profile: Sweet fragrance and aroma, well balanced and clean with a creamy body. Notes of milk chocolate and hazelnut with a bright finish and good citric acidity. Mbata is high up in the foothills of the Rwenzoris, the hub of the community sitting at 1700m and with many farmers living and growing coffee well above this height. Agri Evolve established a buying centre here for the farmers of Mbata and the surrounding communities. Farmers typically have between 1 and 2 acres of land and coffee is their main cash crop. Ripe, red coffee cherries are harvested daily during the harvest season and taken to the buying centre. The cherries are weighed, assessed for quality and the farmers are paid in cash. From here trucks carry the cherries to one of Agri Evolve’s coffee stations. The cherries are floated and graded before being sun-dried in the polytunnels to protect them from rain. Their teams turn the cherries several times each day to ensure even drying whilst allowing the cherries to mature and develop their full rich flavours.
