Kenya - Top Kii
Origin: Kenya, Embu (Mount Kenya foothills)
Washing Station: Kii Factory
Cooperative: Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1,600–1,800 masl
Varietal: SL28, Ruiru 11 & Batian
Tasting notes: Blackcurrant – Blueberry – Pomegranate – Rosehip
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We roast every Monday and Thursday, and ship on Tuesday and Friday.
For an estimated shipping time, please check our FAQ. - We recommend letting the coffee rest for a minimum of one week after roasting date, with peak in flavors being around 3-4 weeks.
- A minimum of 4kg is required to place an order with our wholesale pricing.
The Story
Kii is one of those washing stations that specialty coffee roasters come back to year after year — not out of habit, but because the quality is genuinely consistent and the profile is reliably expressive.
The Kii Washing Station sits at the foot of Mount Kenya, in the Embu region — part of the central highlands that form the backbone of Kenya's specialty coffee landscape. It is one of three factories operated by the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society, which has supported over 3,000 smallholder members since 1958. The farmers delivering cherry to Kii grow on rich volcanic soils at high altitude, where cherries mature slowly and develop the layered, sparkling character that has become a hallmark of Kenyan specialty coffee.
On average, each farmer tends around 500 coffee bushes, typically shade-grown under avocado or macadamia trees — small plots, carefully managed, contributing to a collective effort that makes lots like this one possible. The varieties — SL28, Ruiru 11, and Batian — are among Kenya's most celebrated, each bringing its own dimension to the cup. SL28 in particular is responsible for much of what makes Kenyan coffee so distinctive: that deep, blackcurrant-like intensity and bright, structured acidity.
Over the years, the Kii factory has invested in practical improvements including tiled channels, water recycling, and composting — combining tradition with sustainability to keep quality consistently high. It's the kind of unglamorous, long-term work that makes a real difference.
The process
This lot is fully washed, processed at the Kii factory using the meticulous step-by-step approach the station has refined over decades.
After delivery, ripe cherries are hand-sorted before pulping. They then ferment in tanks for approximately 16 to 20 hours, depending on ambient temperature. The coffee is then thoroughly washed to remove all traces of mucilage — using clean water drawn from the Kii River that flows nearby. From there, the parchment is spread on raised drying beds and dried slowly over the course of 12 to 20 days.
The result is a clean, precise cup that lets the terroir and the variety speak clearly — which is exactly what you want from a washed Kenyan at this altitude. The cherries were grown at 1,600 to 1,800 meters above sea level.
The cup
Vivid, juicy, and deeply expressive — a washed Kenyan that delivers on every promise.
Blackcurrant leads the cup with that unmistakable Kenyan intensity — dark, concentrated, and immediately arresting. Blueberry follows with a softer, jammier sweetness that rounds out the fruit character. Pomegranate adds a jewel-like brightness and a gentle tannic structure, while rosehip brings a floral, tea-like finish that lingers beautifully as the cup cools.
This is a coffee built for filter — one that opens up and evolves with every sip. Ideally brewed slow, enjoyed even slower.