Kenyan Premium Coffee|Nyeri Tambaya Factory|Kenyan AA TOP

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Kenya Nyeri Tambaya Factory AA TOP Double Handpick

• 2014 Coffee Review 95 points
• 2015 Coffee Review 94 points (Peaberry)
• 2016 Coffee Review 94 points

Kenya Nyeri Tambaya Factory AA TOP Double Handpick Special Batch

• Country: Kenya
• Region: Nyeri
• Altitude: 1,650 meters
• Varieties: SL28, SL34, with some Ruiru 11 and Batian
• Producers: Small farmers of the cooperative society
• Annual Rainfall: Approximately 1,300 mm
• Temperature: 13-26°C
• Factory: Tambaya
• Cooperative: Rumukia Farmers' Cooperative Society Limited
• Processing Method: Traditional Kenyan washed processing, followed by 2-3 weeks of natural drying on raised beds
• GPS: S 0°31'35" E37°0'53"

The Tambaya Factory belongs to the Rumukia Farmers' Cooperative Society Limited in Nyeri, which oversees eight sub-factories: Kagunyu, Gatura, Thunguri, Maganjo, Kiawamururu, Tambaya, Gaikundo, and Ndia-ini. These factories are renowned in the specialty coffee industry, with Tambaya, Thunguri, and Ndia-ini the most distinguished.

Tambaya, the subject of this article, is Rumukia's flagship. Not only do many famous roasters compete for its beans each year, but Sweet Maria's also features it with high ratings. Multiple standout scores of 94 and 95 from Coffee Review have cemented its market position.

The factory takes its name from Tambaya town in Nyeri, about 80 kilometers from Nairobi as the crow flies to the north-northeast—roughly 130 kilometers by road, around two and a half hours' drive. Its setting is charming: once you turn off the main road, the drying beds stretch ahead like a long winding snake, and on the higher ground to their right stand the office, warehouse, and processing equipment in sequence.

From the factory's elevated ground your view runs along the main road all the way to Tambaya town—a complete panorama of a beautiful small Kenyan town, genuinely delightful. Friends can catch glimpses of it in the photographs and aerial images we've published.

Thanks to its reputation, Tambaya's green beans command higher prices, and member small farmers earn more as a result. On our two visits we found the cooperative staff and the farmers delivering their harvests alike cheerful and in easy harmony—perhaps the finest example of specialty coffee's virtuous cycle.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If this washed Kenyan appeals to you, FrontStreet Coffee recommends two washed gems from our lineup:

FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Little Tomato — The benchmark for Kenya's signature double washing: an extra wash cycle, repeated soaking and rinsing, pushes the juice-like quality of the cup to the extreme. Expect cherry tomato, dark plum, snow pear, black beauty plum, and golden sugar—vibrant, juicy, sweet-and-sour, a favorite among coffee enthusiasts.

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Worka Cooperative — A washed Ethiopian lot of equal refinement: jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity, with green-tea and honey tones after a medium-light roast. Suited to pour-over, cold brew, or even espresso—an eloquent demonstration of what meticulous washing achieves.