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2008 COE Champion | Kigali Sector, Rwanda | Abakundakawa Cooperative | Bourbon

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange, more coffee bean information, please follow Cafe Workroom (WeChat public account: cafe_style). What are the flavor characteristics of the 2008 COE Champion from Kigali Sector, Rwanda, produced by Abakundakawa Cooperative, Bourbon variety? Rwanda, located in the Central African region, borders Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and

2008 COE Champion | Rwanda Kigali Region | Abakundakawa Cooperative | Bourbon Flavor Profile?

Rwanda, located in Central Africa, is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) to the west. It is a completely landlocked country. Coffee was first introduced around 1904 by German missionaries and began to be cultivated. By around 1930, coffee production had increased significantly. Rwanda was once the 9th largest Arabica coffee exporting country in Africa, with nearly 450,000 small farmers, each with an average planting area of less than 1 hectare (approximately 165 coffee trees per farmer), totaling about 28,000 hectares of coffee cultivation. Due to climate and geographical conditions, along with new coffee processing methods introduced by coffee organizations to improve quality, Rwanda has almost entirely adopted the washed processing method for green beans in recent years. Therefore, cooperatives and farms share washing stations to save costs. Generally, washing stations are surrounded by coffee plantations.

In the 2008 annual top coffee evaluation held by the American Specialty Coffee Association (SCAA), Rwanda Aromec's premium washed Bourbon beans defeated Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 and Sumatra Mandheling G1 to win the 2008 Cup of Excellence (COE) championship award, establishing its reputation and price in the coffee world. This Abakundakawa cooperative comes from the small village of Musasa, about 30 kilometers northwest of the capital Kigali, near the Rushashi washing station. It currently has approximately 1,960 members and two washing stations. Farmers grow high-quality coffee using organic methods and soak the green beans for 48 hours - twice the typical soaking time for washed processing - to enhance the special characteristics produced by fermentation. The beans are then dried on raised beds and manually sorted to remove any defective beans that may result from the extended soaking time or other causes. Additionally, from 2010 to 2012, Abakundakawa consecutively appeared on the Cup of Excellence (COE) rankings in Rwanda (ranking 3rd in 2010), demonstrating their strict quality control standards. The overall appearance of the green beans is quite similar to Kenyan beans (this batch has full, beautifully colored beans).

Abakundakawa was established in 2004, with its official name being Abakunda Kawa Coffee Cooperative, primarily composed of two women's associations: Hinga Kawa and Dakundakawa. Generally, Rwandan coffee characteristics are smooth, with acidity and floral notes similar to Yirgacheffe and Kenya AA, possessing lemon and orange blossom aromas with caramel-sweet citrus qualities, bearing similarities to Eastern African coffees from Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Coffee Growing Region

The western half of the country and the Kigali region in the central part of the country.

Coffee Varieties

Over 95% Arabica Bourbon, with small amounts of Catuai and Caturra.

Growing Altitude

1,200-1,800 meters above sea level. Flowering period begins annually in September-October.

Harvest Period

March to July of the following year.

Flavor Description

Multi-layered aromas of stone fruit and subtle floral notes with hints of cocoa, melon-like sweetness, excellent aftertaste, good body and acidity. Significant flavor changes from hot to cold, with subtle red wine notes when cooled. Superior complexity. Suitable for roasting from American City roast (end of first crack) to Full City roast (beginning of second crack).

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing Method:

Filter: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: 3.5 on Fuji grinder

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water for 25 seconds bloom. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage pour to distinctly extract the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing during pouring helps extend the extraction time.