Kilimbi Anaerobic Natural

FLAVOR PROFILE  Cherry, baking spice, sangria

VARIETY Red Bourbon

PROCESS Anaerobic Natural

ELEVATION 1,650-1,850 masl

IMPORTER Higa

We’ve been buying coffee from Kilimbi washing station for a couple years now, usually their honey‑processed lots, but this is our first time bringing in an anaerobic natural from Rwanda. It shows a whole different side of a station we already knew was unique.

Kilimbi sits right on the edge of Lake Kivu, a small operation with a big appetite for experimentation. Since 2016, they’ve worked with about 750 farming families, some rowing their cherries across the lake to deliver them. Only the ripest, highest‑brix cherries make it into their sealed tanks, where they ferment without oxygen for 48–72 hours. Slow, controlled, and deliberate.

After fermentation, the cherries dry for 40–45 days on raised beds at 1650–1850 meters — constant turning, constant sorting, constant attention. The result is a cup that’s bright, juicy, and layered without drifting into heaviness.