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Country profile

Kenya coffee

Kenya's washed arabica grows around 1,100–2,300 m in the central highlands, in Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a and Embu.

There are two crops: in Central Kenya the main one runs from October to December and an early crop from May to July (Sucafina); Café Imports gives a wider national window, August to January and April to July. Importers describe its coffees with blackcurrant, citrus and black-tea notes; SL28 and SL34 are its best-known varieties, alongside the newer Ruiru 11 and Batian.

INDIAN OCEAN ETHIOPIASOMALIASOUTH SUDANTANZANIAUGANDA Nyeri Kirinyaga Murang'a Embu
KenyaA detail from The Coffee Origins

At a glance

JFMAMJJASOND

  • Main harvest
  • Second crop
  • Edge month, a margin we add: picking may start early or run late

Calendar shown: Central Kenya

 meterssea level5001,0001,5002,0002,5002,3001,1003,610–7,550 ft
Harvest
Oct–Dec, and May–Jul (Central Kenya)Sucafina's Central Kenya calendar. Café Imports gives a wider national window: main crop August–January, fly crop April–July.Calendar from Sucafina, checked October 2026. Compared with Café Imports.
Altitude
1,100–2,300 m (3,610–7,550 ft)Country sourcing band.Band from Sucafina's 2026 handbook.
Production
950,000 60 kg bags (2026/27 forecast)USDA Foreign Agricultural Service forecast, published July 2026.
Varieties
SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian, K7
Processing
WashedThe usual methods; individual lots vary (see the lots below).
Regions
Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Embu
Often described as
blackcurrant, citrus, black tea

See Kenya on the map, and compare it →

How its coffees are described

Importers usually describe Kenya's coffees as blackcurrant, citrus, black tea. These describe mainly washed specialty arabica; variety and roast matter too. These are tendencies, not a promise about a particular bag.

Roasters' words

Roasters described 8 single-origin lots from Kenya in our catalog sample (320 lots from 38 specialty roasters, recorded January–March 2026); these are the notes they used most. Each opens in the Flavor Bloom with an exercise to train your nose on it.

Why two counts: the Flavor Bloom counts the 272 of those 320 lots that are single origins and name a tasting note, leaving out blends, co-ferments and descriptions that name no note. Kenya's 8 are among them; the other 2 of its 10 lots aren't.

All 10 lots, as roasters described them (winter 2026) · 8 single-origin lots with tasting notes are counted above

Lots are seasonal: this is a record of how roasters described these coffees in early 2026, not a list of what's in stock.

LotRoasterProcessRoastRoaster's notes
Kenya - AA Inoi NdimiDa MatteoWashedLightmandarin zest, cloudberry, cacao nibs
KENYA Gondo AA – FilterFive ElephantWashedLightmolasses, lime, mango
Mukuyuni, WashedFive Senses CoffeeWashedLightblackberry, allspice
Mamuto AA, KenyaGeorge Howell CoffeeWashedLight—
IchugaMarket Lane CoffeeWashedLightcranberry, dried apricot, sweet lime
Kangocho AA - Kenya Specialty CoffeePanther CoffeeWashedLightblack currant, honey, lemon
Kenya | Kiangai Ab WashedST. ALiWashedLightblackcurrant, honey
Kenya, ThunguriMethodical CoffeeAnaerobic naturalLightapple, blood orange, brown sugar
Kamwangi AA, Washed, KenyaDrop Coffee RoastersWashedMedium-lightblack currant cordial, melted butter, rhubarb
Mamuto AB Medium, KenyaGeorge Howell CoffeeWashedMedium—

Read more

Brew it

Single origins show their character best brewed clean. The Brew Guide starts you on a V60; if the cup comes out sour or bitter, Fix My Coffee finds the one change to make. Brewing Constellations shows how other brewers change the cup.

The nearest country pages

Tanzania · Ethiopia · Rwanda · Burundi

Sources