Rwamatamu

Description

Kibaya Lot 2 - Rwanda Washed Bourbon

Key Information

Brewing Recommendations

Brew methods: Espresso & Filter
Best enjoyed as: Espresso (black) or Filter (black)

Flavour Profile

Tasting notes: Lemon, Orange Sherbet, Apricot, Raisin, Black Tea

Origin & Producer Details

Producer: Rwamatamu

Country: Rwanda

Region: Kibuye

Variety: Red Bourbon

Importer: Omwani

Process: Washed

Want to know more about coffee from Rwanda? Read our Rwanda origin guide.

Recommended Rest

For the best tasting brew, we recommend enjoying this coffee between 24–57 days off roast. You can read more about resting coffee here.

Bought more than you can drink at its peak? Our guide to freezing coffee shows how to keep it tasting this good for months.

Check out our other Washed Coffee Beans

About This Coffee

Kibaya means “Valley” in Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda.

This coffee was processed at Rwamatamu’s Mbare washing station in Muhanga, Southern Province. After arrival, cherries are hand-sorted, pulped, and fermented in water for 12–48 hours. Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is washed and dried on raised beds for 21–22 days, depending on weather conditions. It is then transported to milling facilities in Kigali, where it is dehusked, polished, and graded.

The Producer – Rwamatamu Coffee

Founded in 2015, Rwamatamu Coffee is a family-owned business focused on creating sustainable employment opportunities within the local community.

The estate spans 20 hectares of coffee farmland, growing its own crops while also sourcing cherries from affiliated cooperatives, local producers, and smallholder farmers. After careful processing, sorting, and packaging, these cherries are exported as a premium product.

Rwamatamu’s farm and washing station are located in Rwanda’s Western Province, near Lake Kivu in Nyamasheke District, an area known for its rolling hills and ideal coffee-growing conditions.

The region’s tropical highland climate, with average temperatures between 14°C and 24°C and regular rainfall, allows Arabica coffee to thrive and develop dense beans with complex flavour.

The farm sits at altitudes between 1,600 and 2,000 metres above sea level on volcanic soil, with harvest season typically running from January to March.

Coffee from Rwamatamu is fully washed with spring water, sun-dried, and handpicked to a high standard. The team is currently working towards organic and fair-trade certifications and places strong emphasis on social and economic impact, particularly supporting women in coffee production.

The People Behind the Coffee

Rwamatamu Coffee was established by husband and wife team Rutaganda Gaston and Mukantwaza Laetitia. Their daughter, Marie Bernice, has played an active role in the estate, contributing to negotiations, education initiatives, and marketing.

Rwamatamu works closely with cooperatives of local coffee farmers, with around 80% of employees being women. The team is committed to building long-term relationships through consistent purchasing, investment in staff development, and maintaining high quality standards each year.

Since 2023, Bernice and her husband Luke have continued building on the farm’s foundations. This is the fourth consecutive harvest we’ve worked with Bernice, Luke, Gaston, and Laetitia, and it’s a pleasure to showcase their coffees once again.

Our Relationship with Rwamatamu

Rwamatamu’s coffees are always special releases for us. Each year, they continue to raise the bar, producing brighter, fruitier, and more floral coffees through improvements in irrigation, sorting, and processing practices.

Beyond quality, it’s the people that make this partnership meaningful. Bernice and Luke previously lived near us in York, where our relationship began and developed into a genuine friendship, built around coffee and community.

Although it was bittersweet when they returned to Rwanda to lead farm operations, it strengthened our connection to the origin and deepened our commitment to showcasing their work.

We’re proud to continue working closely with the Rwamatamu team — and excited to share this coffee with you.

How to Brew This Coffee

Dial in with accuracy

Because this coffee is expressive and fruit-forward, accurate dose and yield help you hit the sweet spot. We strongly recommend using a reliable scale — see our guide, The Best Coffee Scales, and our bench favourite, the Felicita Parallel.

Brewing tips

Rest window: Follow the recommended 24–57 days off roast for best clarity and balance.

Filter brewing: Start with a 1:16–1:17 ratio and a medium-fine grind, adjusting to balance florals and citrus intensity. Grind quality makes a big difference with filter, so here’s our pick of the best filter coffee grinders for home.

Espresso: Start with a longer ratio (e.g. 1:2.2–1:2.4) to showcase tropical characteristics.

Best recipe: Orea v4, 15.5g coffee, 250g water, 2:20 brew time.

Explore More Recipes

To try out more recipes from world-class coffee brewers, we've compiled this blog, featuring the best filter coffee recipes of 2026 from some of the world's best filter coffee brewers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this Rwanda coffee taste like?

This coffee offers bright citrus notes of lemon and orange sherbet, balanced by stone fruit sweetness from apricot and raisin, with a clean black tea finish.

Is this coffee better for espresso or filter?

It performs beautifully in both, but particularly shines as a vibrant espresso and a clean, complex filter brew.

What does “washed process” mean?

Washed processing involves removing the coffee cherry pulp and fermenting the beans in water before drying. This method often produces cleaner, brighter, and more precise flavours.

Where is Rwamatamu Coffee located?

Rwamatamu Coffee is based in Rwanda’s Western Province, near Lake Kivu in Nyamasheke District, with processing carried out at the Mbare washing station.

What is Red Bourbon coffee?

Red Bourbon is a traditional Arabica variety known for sweetness, balance, and complexity, commonly grown in East Africa.

How long should I rest this coffee after roasting?

We recommend resting this coffee for 24–57 days after roasting to allow flavours to fully develop and stabilise.

Is this coffee ethically sourced?

Rwamatamu focuses on community impact, fair employment, and quality-driven production, and is working towards organic and fair-trade certifications.

Explore other coffees

Malawo – a washed Ethiopian 74158 from Sidama, with jasmine florals, lemonade and candied lemon.

San Sebastian – a washed Colombian coffee from Inzá, Cauca, with notes of red berries, caramel and milk chocolate. Great as espresso or filter.

Abner & Vanessa – a natural Brazilian coffee from husband-and-wife duo Abner and Vanessa, with notes of Hobnob biscuit, pear and creamy macadamia.

El Vergel Decaf – quite possibly the best decaf we've ever found. World-class flavour, without the buzz. Also available as a decaf subscription.

From our archive: Musaza Lot 3 – a natural Red Bourbon from Rwanda, with tangerine, apricot and black tea.

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Text from Harmony Coffee's listing.