Several Coffee Varieties from Kenya What Makes Kenya SL28 Coffee Variety Exceptional

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Kenyan Coffee

Kenya borders Ethiopia to the north, but its flavor profile shows distinct differences, with prominent berry notes and rich juice-like characteristics, which is inseparable from Kenya's unique red soil. The soil is rich in phosphoric acid, combined with excellent varieties SL28 and SL34, as well as Kenya's unique double-washed fermentation processing method, which can take up to 72 hours.

Established by the colonial government in 1922, the [Scott Agricultural Laboratories] have now been renamed [Kenya National Agricultural Laboratories], abbreviated as NARL. The mission of the Scott Laboratories was [to conduct extensive experiments on imported coffee varieties, research and select single tree varieties with ideal characteristics] to provide farmers with technical consultation and cultivation-related training. Other work included yield experiments, grafting trials, pruning, shade cultivation experiments, and root cover crops.

In 1944, the Kenyan government decided to transfer the coffee research institute to the [Coffee Research Foundation], which had a larger area and more sophisticated experimental facilities, and has been operating since 1949.

Origin of the SL28 Variety

According to documented records, in 1931, an official from the Scott Laboratories conducted field research in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). He noticed a coffee tree variety in the Moduli region that seemed to have resistance to drought, diseases, and pests, so he collected seeds and brought them back to the Scott Laboratories. In 1935, the laboratory selected a single tree variety from the drought-resistant population in Tanganyika and continuously improved it through breeding, eventually launching the SL28, a descendant of the Moduli region. Recent genetic studies have confirmed that SL28 belongs to the Bourbon genetic group.

Kenyan SL28 is one of the most well-known and popular varieties in Africa. In recent years, it has been famous for its astonishing blackcurrant and bright fruit acidity, becoming the most representative variety with the highest attention after the Geisha variety. In fact, SL28 did not originate in Kenya—just as Geisha originated in Ethiopia but achieved superstar status in Panama, SL28 also has this potential, shining brightly from its cultivation base in Kenya to major coffee-producing countries.

Kenyan SL28 is a direct descendant of Bourbon, selected and cultivated in Kenya by French and British missionaries and researchers in the early 20th century, with mixed heritage from French missionaries, Mocha, and Yemen Typica. High sweetness, delicate balance, prominent citrus and dark plum flavors, strong and rich fruit acidity, rich mouthfeel, and beautiful balance—these are the unique coffee flavor characteristics of Kenyan SL28.

Knowledge Point: Kenyan Coffee Grading: AA, AB, C indicates the size of coffee beans

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