225 Kenya Nyeri Asali AB TOP Washed - Dolce Coffee Single Origin

Country: Kenya
Region: Nyeri
Altitude: 1,700m-1,800m
Process: Washed
Roasting Level: Light Roast
Tasting Notes: Floral, Candied Lemon Peel, Blackberry, Berry Jam, Red Plum, Orange Peel, Pink Guava, Honey, Berry Notes

✏️ References
"Asali" means "honey" in Swahili (Kenya's national language), symbolizing its pleasing honey-like flavor and showcasing the classic Kenyan profile. Kenyan "Asali" AA and AB differ only in screen size grading, while PB is the peaberry grade; other processing steps are essentially the same. Kenyan "Asali" combines 4 coffee varieties: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, and Batian.
Currently, although SL varieties are common in Kenyan coffee regions, farmers are rapidly adopting new varieties like Ruiru 11 and Batian due to lower management costs on farms. This means SL varieties are being "converted" to new varieties. Therefore, it's difficult to determine the proportion of each variety in "Asali," but each variety can express its characteristics. Since it mainly depends on cupping results, suitable batches are sourced from Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Kiambu, and Muranga regions for blending. Therefore, "Asali" does not belong to any single processing station. To ensure consistent quality, selecting too many processing station batches is avoided.

【Introduction to SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, and Batian Varieties】
Classic Kenyan varieties, the "SL" in "SL-28" and "SL-34" stands for Scot Laboratories, which conducted a series of variety selections and tests in the 1930s to identify which Kenyan coffee varieties had the greatest potential in terms of quality and cultivation. Scientists identified over 40 different types of coffee trees, categorized them, numbered them, and named them with "SL," finding ideal varieties through "selection" rather than "hybridization" from existing ones, even though many of these varieties were descendants of natural hybridization and grafting.
Ruiru 11 is a coffee variety developed in the laboratory by the Coffee Research Foundation (CRF) in Kenya in 1985, with the aim of combating Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and coffee leaf rust, and is suitable for Kenya's coffee growing altitudes. Ruiru 11 was produced by inter-varietal hybridization, combining the Timor Hybrid variety (a cross between Arabica and Robusta) and the Rume Sudan cultivar, which is resistant to coffee berry disease. It is named after the coffee research station in Ruiru town, Kenya, and the number 11 indicates that it was the first variety developed by Kenyans. Ruiru 11 is characterized by plants that do not require much space, have high yields, and produce within 1.5 years, yielding more per unit than SL28 and SL34. Its drawbacks are sensitivity to moisture and slightly inferior quality compared to SL28 and SL34, unless grafted onto traditional varieties.
Batian is a newer variety launched by the Coffee Research Foundation in Kenya in 2010. It is resistant to Coffee Berry Disease and coffee leaf rust, and is sensitive to acidic soils. Batian's genetic sources come from several excellent varieties such as SL34, SL28, K7, SL4, Rume Sudan, N39, and Timor Hybrid, combining the advantages of multiple varieties. Batian's appearance and taste are similar to SL28. Its bean size is larger than other Kenyan varieties, and its quality rivals SL28 and SL34. Batian has high yields, produces within 1.5 years, has a tall tree shape, bronze-green leaves, and very large fruits and beans, similar to SL34.

🚨 Coffee Bean Resting Recommendation
Freshly roasted coffee beans need time for their aromatic compounds and oils to mature and develop. Proper resting helps the beans express a more stable and balanced flavour. We recommend waiting 2–3 weeks from the roast date before brewing for the best results.
※ Light to medium roast: 12–14 days
※ Medium-dark roast and specialty processed beans: 2–3 weeks