Kenya AA Marumi Society

This big, bold cup is full of in-your-face flavor! Tons of rich body, silky texture and tasty notes of apricot, green apple and lime with a dry red wine finish. Don't let the price scare you, this coffee is the cream of the crop!

Arrival Date: March 24th, 2017

Acidity & Brightness: Crisp and bright acidity, think green apples without the sour

Balance & Finish: Great balance, dry, tannic finish 

Body & Texture: Big Body, rich, silky texture

Flavors: Apricot, lime and green apple

Grade: AA, Very Large (18-19 screen) Very Hard and Dense

Processing: Fully Washed, shade grown, hand picked, sun dried on raised tables

Varietals: Kenya SL28 and SL34

Roasting:  Start with a City + (Light-medium) and feel free to try Full City (Medium). Kenyan coffees are famous for their crisp acidity and dark roasting will mute that. However, if you prefer, this coffee may be carried into a Full City Plus and still retain a lot of body and most of it's brightness. This coffee roasts very evenly.

Recommendation: Kenyan coffee is in a class all its own. This coffee is very characteristic of that class and if you haven't had a good Kenya AA before, you're doing yourself a disservice! 

Reminder: This Coffee is raw, you must roast it before brewing

Our Review: Anyone who knows coffee knows Kenya produces some of the finest coffees in the world. For the most part, Kenyan coffee is sold in auctions on the Nairobi Coffee Exchange with the highest quality beans fetching the best prices. The beans are also graded on a system of size and consistency, the largest beans receiving the score AA, while smaller beans are scored AB. While not necessarily a signifier of quality, the AA score is highly sought after. This AA is from the Marumi Society and like most Kenyan coffee, contains varietals SL28 and SL34, which have become the gold standard in the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. These bourbon hybrids were introduced in the 1950s by Scott Laboratories and largely replaced the heirloom varietals which had been brought from neighboring Ethiopia. 

The Marumi Society was founded in 1984 and it is located in the Maragwa region of Kenya. The factory where the coffee is processed and milled is called the Marumi Factory. This society is made up of 1,300 members and they have a reputation for being one of the best coffee factories in Kenya. They produce above average size beans, screens 18 and 19. The producers work very hard to constantly improve quality and consistency. The area surrounding Marumi receives less rainfall than its eastern neighbors which leads to a unique flavor profile and a faster maturation cycle

The difference can definitely be tasted in the cup. The best way to describe it is "in-your-face!" While characteristically Kenyan, this coffee stands on its own with huge body and a dry, winey finish. While most Kenyan AA coffees have these features, some tend toward more of a crisp white wine finish, while others lean towards a more tannic and dry red wine. This coffee also features great balance with a silky texture and a crisp, bright front end like a granny smith apple, but without the sour taste. Look for yummy notes of apricot, lime and the aforementioned green apple.