RWANDA ​GASHARU washed

General Information

Origin:   Rwanda
Region: Western Province
District: Nyamasheke, Macuba Sector
Washing Station: Gasharu Washing Station
Farmers: 1650 active members (660 female, 990 male)
Cultivar:  100% Red Bourbon
Altitude: 1600-2110 masl
Process: Fully Washed
Harvest:  June 2025
Cherry Price | FOB Price: 4.7 USD/kg | 9.10 USD/Kg
Screen | Moisture | Density: 15+ | 10.8% | 0.70 g/ml
Packaging: GrainPro + Jute bags
Score: 87
Notes: Green Tea, Lychee, Tangerine, dark chocolate 

TRACEABILITY


The coffee plantations surrounding the Gasharu Washing Station are located near Nyungwe National Park, one of Rwanda’s rich montane ecosystems. The proximity to the forest contributes to the region’s abundant rainfall, while the high-altitude environment provides ideal conditions for producing dense, vibrant and expressive coffee cherries. The combination of elevation, fertile volcanic soils and a cool climate helps develop the distinctive acidity and complex flavour characteristics associated with coffees from Nyamasheke.

The cherries for this lot are selectively harvested from smallholder farms located between 1,600 and 2,110 meters above sea level. The coffee is produced from 100% Red Bourbon, a traditional Rwandan cultivar known for producing sweet and complex cups when grown at high elevations. Farmers deliver their carefully harvested cherries to Gasharu Washing Station, where quality control begins immediately upon arrival.
At the washing station, the freshly delivered cherries are first carefully sorted and floated in water. This process helps separate ripe, dense cherries from lighter and defective fruit, ensuring greater consistency throughout the lot. The selected cherries are then mechanically pulped to remove the skin and fruit before the parchment coffee undergoes fermentation to break down the remaining mucilage.

Following fermentation, the parchment coffee is thoroughly washed and graded in clean water, removing residual mucilage and further separating beans according to density and quality. This fully washed process results in a clean and transparent cup profile, allowing the characteristics of the Red Bourbon variety and the Gasharu terroir to express themselves clearly. Washed Gasharu coffees are known for their bright, tea-like and fruit-forward character.

The clean parchment coffee is then carefully laid out on raised African drying beds, where it is spread in thin layers to allow consistent air circulation and even drying. The coffee is regularly turned and monitored throughout the drying stage to protect it from excessive moisture, rain and other environmental factors. Comparable Gasharu processing descriptions report drying periods of approximately 25 to 30 days on raised beds.

Once the parchment reaches the desired moisture level, the coffee is carefully stored under controlled conditions before being hulled. After hulling, the green beans undergo additional sorting and quality control to remove defective beans and ensure that only the highest-quality coffee is prepared for export. This meticulous attention to quality at every stage helps preserve the clean and expressive character of the Gasharu Washed lot.

The finished coffee is packed in GrainPro and jute bags to protect the beans during storage and transportation. Beyond producing exceptional specialty coffee, Gasharu Coffee works closely with its farming community, supporting a network of approximately 1,650 active farmers, including 660 women and 990 men. This close relationship between the washing station and its farmers plays an important role in maintaining quality while contributing to the livelihoods of the surrounding community.
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In the cup, this 87-point Fully Washed lot presents a clean and elegant profile, with notes of green tea, lychee, tangerine and dark chocolate. The combination of high elevation, Red Bourbon genetics and careful washed processing creates a balanced coffee with bright fruit character, delicate tea-like aromatics and a refined chocolate finish.

HISTORY

When we talk about Rwanda, it is impossible not to mention the horrible genocide that occurred in 1994, which left almost 1 million dead. Despite that sinister past, today it is admirable to see how this small nation has risen from the darkest depths, to become one of the most prosperous and secure countries in all of Africa.

Currently, the coffee industry in Rwanda is at its peak and producing exceptional coffees. The road has clearly not been easy, but through the leadership of a commited government, educational projects and strategic planning, they have laid the solid foundation for this success.

Coffee is one of the major export commodities for Rwanda, accounting for more than 40% of the total value of agricultural exports of the country, with approximately 420,000 people are directly or indirectly related to the coffee industry. Prices of quality coffee are more stable than the prices of commercial coffee, which has improved the quality of life of many coffee farmers and their families. In addition, coffee also contributes to the reconciliation of the main ethnic groups: Hutus and Tutsis; as we have seen them working together, shoulder to shoulder, to produce more and better coffee.​

VARIETY

Today in the world of specialty coffee, Bourbon and Typica are the most important Arabica coffee varieties. Recent genetic studies have confirmed that Bourbon and Typica were the seeds brought from Ethiopia to Yemen, and from the latter they spread throughout the world, forming the basis of modern Arabica coffee cultivation.
 
It was the French who attempted to introduce coffee three times from Yemen to Bourbon Island (now La Réunion), in 1708, 1715 and 1718. Genetic studies have confirmed that only a small number of plants from the second introduction and some from the third introduction they were successful. Until the middle of the 19th century, Bourbon coffee did not leave the island.
 
French missionaries played an important role in spreading the Bourbons in Africa. In 1841, the first mission was established in La Réunion. From there, a mission was established in Zanzibar in 1859. From Zanzibar, a mission was established in 1862 at Bagamoyo (coast of Tanzania, then called Tanganyika), another at St. Augustine (Kikuyu, Kenya), and another in 1893 at Bura (Taita Hills, Kenya). Coffee seeds brought from La Reunion were planted in each of the missions.
 
In 1904, German missionaries brought coffee to Rwanda. The first coffee trees were planted in Mibirizi mission, Cyangugu province. It is this mission that gives the name to the first variety of Rwandan coffee, a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety. Gradually, coffee cultivation spread to Lake Kivu and later to the rest of Rwanda. In 1930, growing coffee became compulsory for many farmers in the country, replicating the colonial model that the Belgians had imposed on Burundi.

HAND SORTING THE POTATO DEFECT

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