A warm, spiced sugar bomb from the hills of Kayanza.

This natural process lot from Gakenke leans decadent: cardamom tea, ginger powder, pumpkin pie filling, brown sugar, tres leches. It’s plush, sweet, and softly structured—less about sparkle, more about depth. Compared to its washed cousin (Burundi Masha), Gakenke is less citric, more dessert. Big body, mellow acidity, and a long, black tea finish.

Gakenke Station sits in Burundi’s Gatara Commune, Kayanza Province, where roughly 1,900 farmers from 22 neighboring villages deliver their coffee. It’s a smaller site but still packs in 149 raised beds and produces washed, honey, and dry process coffees. The name “Gakenke” comes from a local plant with thin, hollow stems—used like straws to sip banana beer.

Most farmers here grow older Bourbon cultivars, first brought to the region in the 1930s by Catholic monks traveling from the island of Reunion. Gakenke itself is perched at 1695 meters above sea level, but the surrounding farms climb even higher.

This lot was sun-dried on raised beds, sorted carefully at collection sites run by local collectors who pre-grade the cherries before they ever hit the mill—a little extra step that makes a big difference.

Best for:
• French press: decadent and rich
• Aeropress: spicy and syrupy
• Chemex: clean, layered sweetness
• Pour over: smooth with structure
• Espresso: yes, please