Every year our roasters compete to roast a strong, rich and impressive koffee blend to make the winter months feel just that little bit brighter. This year's blend hails from Tanzania and Papua New Guinea.
These two exceptional far-flung mountain coffees, although separated by the vast Indian Ocean, share a common ancestry, both can trace their origins back to Reunion Island. Named Bourbon Island in 1649 after the French royal family, the name was changed when (during the French Revolution) the Bourbon monarchy was deposed, but the variety of coffee grown on the Island still retains the Bourbon moniker. This was the coffee transplanted to Papua New Guinea and finally centuries later to Tanzania.
Tanzania Kilimanjaro AA Microlot
Coffee was introduced to Tanzania from the French Reunion Island by missionaries in 1890, not as one might have expected, overland from Ethiopia.
Kilimanjaro has been producing coffee since 1955 and is today one of the largest plantations in Northern Tanzania with over a million trees. The ripest cherries are hand picked and then pulped on the same day to prevent deterioration before air drying on African beds. Tanzanian coffee is described as having a smooth, clean texture with aromatic, "wild" East African characteristics that shine particularly in medium roasts.
Significantly the plantation has planted a further 10,000 indigenous shade trees in an effort to redress the years of deforestation, but more importantly this green belt creates a stable microclimate and protect the plants and soil from the sweltering African sun.
Papua New Guinea Apo Angra Kange
Apo Angra Kange means’ brotherhood’. The society was founded in the 1960s with a vision of building better lives for its growers. Today it boasts 1800 growers each owning an average of 30 – 60 trees.
The co-operative has worked to provide farmers with tools, kit housing with iron rooves, coffee pulpers and advice on growing and harvesting. As a result, the quality of high grown Arabica coffee now coming from the region is outstanding. As a testament, the PNG Blackgold is one of our KoffeeWorks most popular single origin, Signature coffees.
Growers are able to change the coffee profiles by electing to Fast or Slow dry in the sun. The Fast tarp drying, produces nutty and candy flavours but the Slow drying delivers more complex fruity flavours with vanilla like sweetness. The region’s high humidity means the beans are usually finished at a drying mill.
Separated by ocean and time, we have brought these two Bourbon varietals back together in a rich and inspired reunion. You will discover this smooth, beautifully balanced blend possesses distinctive notes of cherry and raspberry, with a fiery blast of melted chocolate. History will remember this as the perfect winter ‘toddy’.
Have we peaked your interest in this delicious blend? Why not buy some today. Click here to purchase your Storm Blend.