

Muraho Trading Co.
This is our fifth year working with renowned Rwandan producers Muraho Trading Co. The coffees that they produce are quite simply some of the best Rwandan lots we have tasted at La Cabra, and Gaudam and Carthick Anbalagan, the brothers that run the project, are among the most innovative producers in the country. Last summer, Gadz and Carthick were able to visit us in connection with this year’s World of Coffee in Copenhagen, sharing stories of the most recent harvest in Rwanda.

Gaudam and Carthick were brought up in Rwanda but moved to Wellington, New Zealand as teenagers. After the devastating effect that the 1994 Genocide had on the country, the brothers felt they had to return and be part of rebuilding and recovering the land they had always called home. So they left life in New Zealand behind, moved back to Rwanda, and started work on the project that became Muraho.
Since then they have gone from strength to strength, and now own several stations throughout the coffee producing regions of Rwanda, exporting coffee to some of the world’s finest roasters. They have also innovated, having been the first to produce and export naturally processed coffees from Rwanda in 2016, after lobbying for government permission for several years. Last year, they were also the first to export varietals other than Bourbon from Rwanda, a project we’re excited to be a part of.

Shyira
The Shyira Coffee Washing Station (CWS) is the highest altitude of the Muraho stations, located in the northern Nyabihu district. Shyira’s remote location also means it is the smallest station; a big driver in the decision to build here was the greater impact that Muraho could have on the very rural population. Here, their genuine drive for social change led to a focus on access to speciality coffee knowledge, and importantly pricing. Over several harvests now, Shyira has consistently produced our favourite lots out of Rwanda.

The weather conditions here are perfect for both production and processing, the volcanic soils are healthy, and of course the high altitude leads to slow maturing, sugar-rich cherries. This is the first time we have been able to purchase an anaerobic lot from Shyira, and only the second from Rwanda.
Cherries were fermented under a tight plastic sheet, with water poured on top in order to ensure a seal and maintain anaerobic conditions. Using water as a seal means that any oxygen present is allowed to escape, but cannot reenter the fermentation tank. After 48 hours, the plastic sheeting was pierced, allowing the water to flow over the cherries, cooling them and slowing the fermentation. The cherries were then spread out under the sun, drying them to a point where fermentation is stopped, before gradually building deeper layers in order to slow down the overall drying time to around 35 days.

This leads to a rich flavour profile, driven by complex tropical fruit and soft florals, while maintaining the crisp citric acidity inherent in all coffees from Shyira.
