Kii

Bright Kenyan Complexity, Born on the Slopes of Kirinyaga

Introduction: From the misty highlands surrounding Mount Kenya, Kii delivers the electric brightness and layered fruit complexity that makes Kenyan coffee legendary.

Origin story: Kii Washing Station sits in Kirinyaga County, nestled on the fertile southern slopes of Mount Kenya - one of the most celebrated coffee-growing regions on the continent. The name Kirinyaga itself means 'place of brightness' in Kikuyu, and the coffees grown here live up to that billing with extraordinary clarity and vibrancy in the cup.

The station is managed under the Baragwi Farmers Cooperative Society, serving hundreds of smallholder farmers who tend their plots at altitudes between 1,600 and 1,800 metres above sea level. These farmers grow predominantly SL28 and SL34 varietals - selections developed by Scott Laboratories in the 1930s specifically for their drought resistance and exceptional cup quality. The rich, red volcanic soils of the region, fed by rainfall from Mount Kenya's peaks, impart a mineral depth and structured acidity that is virtually impossible to replicate elsewhere.

Cherries are hand-sorted at delivery, pulped, fermented under water for 24–48 hours, then washed through clean mountain water channels before raised-bed drying - a meticulous process that locks in Kii's signature brightness and fruit clarity. The AB grade denotes careful screen sorting, representing the best of the station's seasonal harvest.

Origin details: Country: Kenya

Region: Kirinyaga

Producer: Kii Washing Station / Baragwi Cooperative

Altitude: 1,600–1,800 masl

Varietal: SL28, SL34

Process: Washed

Roast Style: Medium

Brew recipe: Filter (V60): 15g coffee / 250g water / 93°C / 2:30–3:00 min. Pour 50g bloom for 45s, then pulse pour in 3 stages. Espresso: 18g in / 36g out / 26–30s - expect a vivid, juicy shot with clean fruit acidity.

Sustainability / closing note: Sourced with full traceability to cooperative level, supporting smallholder farmers in Kirinyaga who rely on specialty premiums to invest in their land and communities.