South Africa Racemosa – Washed

Some coffees stand out for their origin, others for their processing. Racemosa, however, belongs to an entirely different category.

Native to the coastal forests of southeastern Africa, Coffea racemosa is a distinct coffee species, remarkably different from both Arabica and Robusta.

Grown in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, this exceptionally rare coffee is naturally lower in caffeine and offers an aromatic character unlike most conventional coffees.

In the cup, discover notes of mulled wine, quince, mandarin, eucalyptus and blackcurrant, creating a distinctive combination of fruit, spice and herbal aromatics.

Flavour Profile

Tasting notes: Mulled Wine · Quince · Mandarin · Eucalyptus · Blackcurrant

Cup profile: Unusual, spicy, fruity and herbal, with a distinctive aromatic character.

Origin and Processing

This coffee comes from Shamba Nathi, a project in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province dedicated to cultivating and preserving the rare Racemosa species.

Its plants are naturally adapted to hot and dry conditions, but their productivity is extraordinarily low. Each plant produces approximately 100 grams of coffee cherries, yielding only around 10 grams of green coffee.

The beans themselves are exceptionally small, similar in size to lentils, making harvesting, processing and roasting particularly demanding.

This lot undergoes traditional washed processing, chosen to highlight the natural characteristics of the species without introducing additional experimental fermentation techniques.

Why You'll Love It

If you enjoy discovering the remarkable diversity of coffee, Racemosa offers a rare opportunity to experience an entirely different species with its own distinctive flavour profile.

It is naturally lower in caffeine than conventional Arabica, although it is not decaffeinated.

Recommended brewing methods: V60, Chemex and AeroPress, allowing its unusual aromatic characteristics to be explored.

Coffee Details

Country: South Africa
Region: Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal
Producer: Shamba Nathi
Species: Coffea racemosa
Genetics: Wild heritage genetics
Process: Washed
Altitude: 120 m
Caffeine content: Naturally low

In a Few Words

An exceptionally rare coffee species from southeastern Africa, offering notes of mulled wine, quince, mandarin and eucalyptus. A distinctive experience that reveals another side of the world's coffee diversity.