Tanzania Mbili Twiga
Origin Info
REGION: Kilimanjaro & Arusha
COUNTRY: Tanzania
VARIETAL: Bourbon & Kent
ALTITUDE: 1400-1800M
PROCESS: Washed
TASTE NOTES: Blackberry - Toffee - Chamomile
The Story
Known for its vast wilderness areas like the Serengeti, populated with the 'big five' game species (elephant, leopard, rhino, lion, buffalo). Tanzania is less well known for its coffee; Which is a shame because this East African nation can produce some delicious coffees with intriguing levels of complexity.
The first coffee grown in the Kilimanjaro region was planted by Catholic missionaries in Kilema at the end of the 19th Century. Throughout the 20th century western demand for coffee grew and as a result, cultivation spread through many regions of Tanzania. Appearing first by locals growing as a cash crop in 1919, they together to form an Association to protect their interests after settling westerners expressed concern over diseases and pests being caused by the expanding cultivation of coffee.
In Tanzania, around 90% of the coffee is produced by smallholder farmers with less than 1 hectare, with around 110 Estates growing the other 10%. This coffee is a cooperative lot (Makiidi from RCS) of many smallholders, combined with an estate coffee (Karatu) from Arusha; which is reflected in the name Mbili Twiga (translating as two giraffes coming together).
