Our first coffee from Kayu offers a very cool look at Kenyan terroir beyond the slopes of Mount Kenya. Grown off the Aberdare Ridge in Murang’a County, this lot showcases a distinct regional profile. In the cup we find blackcurrant, hibiscus, and Key lime. ABOUT KAYU The Kayu Coffee Factory was established in 1964 in the Central Province of Murang’a County. We have long been drawn to coffees from this region, and it remains one of our key focus areas when sourcing in Kenya. While much of our work in the country now centers on developing supply chains with single-estate producers, traditional coffee factories like Kayu still occasionally produce some of the best coffees in the world—and when they do, we are more than happy to buy them. ABOUT SL28, SL34, AND RUIRU 11 “SL” is in reference to single tree selections made by Scott Agricultural Laboratories in 1935-1939. SL34 has a Typica-like genetic background selected from a single tree on the Loresho Estate in Kabete, Kenya. SL28 is of the Bourbon genetic group, and was selected for its drought resistance as well as its extremely high cup quality. SL28 is one of the most well-known and well-regarded varieties in Africa. It has consequently spread from Kenya to other parts of Africa as well as Central and South America. Both varieties are non-hybrid, and very susceptible to disease. Ruiru 11 is a Catimor hybrid that owes its existence to a coffee berry disease epidemic in 1968 that lead to the loss of 50% of Kenya’s production. The crisis sparked action. In the 1970s, the coffee research station at Ruiru—which gives Ruiru 11 its name—began an intensive breeding program of varieties that are immune to coffee berry disease, ultimately leading to the release of Ruiru 11 in 1985.