What is the Quality Tier of Kenyan Coffee? Why Does Kenyan Coffee Have Cherry Tomato Notes? What is the SL28 Coffee Variety?

The Remarkable SL28: Kenya's Star Coffee Variety

Just as different grape varieties produce wines with distinct flavors, coffee bean varieties are one of the key factors influencing the final flavor in your cup. Panama's T2722 Geisha is the perfect example, renowned for its white floral notes and citrus fruit characteristics.

Today, FrontStreet Coffee wants to share another star variety with equally outstanding flavor performance—SL28 from Kenya. This variety contributes significantly to Kenya's famous plum flavors and bright acidity.

The Origins of SL28

SL28 is one of Kenya's most representative varieties. It is a direct descendant of Bourbon, selected and cultivated in Kenya in the early 20th century. The entity responsible for selecting and cultivating SL28 was Scott Laboratories, where "SL" stands for Scott Laboratories and "28" represents the variety's experimental number at the time.

In the 1930s, the Kenyan government commissioned Scott Laboratories to conduct coffee breeding research with the aim of finding varieties that could adapt to Kenya's terroir and be suitable for large-scale cultivation with commercial value. Between 1935 and 1939, Scott Laboratories collected 42 different varieties from various origins, studying their yield, quality, drought resistance, and disease resistance. Ultimately, many varieties distinguished themselves. SL28 and SL34 emerged as the two most well-known varieties, and they remain key to creating the "Kenyan flavor" today.

Characteristics and Spread of SL28

According to the materials consulted by FrontStreet Coffee, in 1931, a senior official from Scott Laboratories discovered a coffee variety in Monduli, northeastern Tanganyika (now Tanzania) that appeared to have tolerance to drought, diseases, and pests. It was brought back to Kenya for research, where its drought resistance was confirmed. By 1935, this variety was put into cultivation—it was SL28.

In addition to its drought resistance, SL28 possesses excellent yield, flavor, and bright acidity. This made it an instant hot commodity after being released by Kenyan authorities. Initially adopted by Uganda, it was later cultivated by major producing countries in Central America, demonstrating its remarkable popularity. However, SL28 has its drawbacks—like SL34, it lacks disease resistance and is susceptible to various coffee diseases.

Genetic Background and Identification

Research has also revealed that SL28 belongs to the Bourbon genetic group, meaning it evolved from Bourbon. This explains why its beans share Bourbon's characteristic round, small shape, making them highly identifiable. Today, most Kenyan coffees are blends of SL28 and SL34. Since their bean shapes differ significantly (SL34 is a Typica variant with an elongated, elliptical shape), we can easily distinguish between the two in a sample of Kenyan coffee.

Tasting Experience

To date, FrontStreet Coffee has tasted SL28 from various producing countries, such as El Salvador and Costa Rica. They all exhibit distinct blackberry acidity with very bright acid profiles. However, compared to SL28 produced in Kenya, their texture is not as rich and full-bodied. This inevitably brings us to Kenya's unique growing conditions and processing methods, which, like the varieties themselves, are indispensable elements in creating Kenyan flavor.

Now that we've mentioned this, FrontStreet Coffee must brew a pot of coffee to taste it! The FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Asalia from FrontStreet Coffee's bean list is what we'll be brewing today. It comes from the Asalia Processing Station in the Thika region, is a single-origin bean made from a blend of SL28 and SL34, and processed using the classic Kenyan washed method.

Coffee Details

FrontStreet Coffee: Kenya · Asalia

Region: Thika

Processing Station: Asalia Processing Station

Altitude: 1550~1750 meters

Varieties: SL28, SL34

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor Notes: Black plum, cherry tomato, brown sugar, black plum

Brewing Impressions

This bean already reveals distinct black plum and cherry tomato aromas when ground. As hot water is added, the coffee begins to emit brown sugar sweetness. After brewing, the first sip reveals very rich acidity with dominant flavors of black plum, cherry tomato, and plum, accompanied by noticeable brown sugar sweetness and a subtle oolong tea aftertaste. The mouthfeel is round and full-bodied, delivering a comfortable and enjoyable drinking experience.

Important Notice :

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