wild watermelon graphic @3x.png
wild watermelon graphic @3x.png

Wild Watermelon, Burundi, Natural

from €20.00

This natural Red Bourbon from the Karambo Washing Station in Burundi’s Kayanza region is a vibrant and fruit-forward expression of high-altitude East African terroir. Slowly sun-dried on raised beds, the coffee showcases juicy sweetness, bright berry acidity, and a long, tropical finish. A bold yet clean natural, balancing intensity with clarity.

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This natural Red Bourbon from the Karambo Washing Station in Burundi’s Kayanza region is a vibrant and fruit-forward expression of high-altitude East African terroir. Slowly sun-dried on raised beds, the coffee showcases juicy sweetness, bright berry acidity, and a long, tropical finish. A bold yet clean natural, balancing intensity with clarity.

  • Sweetness: Watermelon
    Acidity: Blackberry
    Aftertaste: Persimon

  • Origin: Burundi
    Region: Kayanza
    Farm: Karambo Washing Station
    Variety: Red Bourbon
    Process: Natural

  • PROCESSING

    This lot is processed at the Karambo Washing Station in Burundi’s northern Kayanza province, a region known for its high elevations, cool breezes, and ideal drying conditions. Cherries are delivered by surrounding smallholder farmers, hand-sorted for quality and ripeness, and then laid out as whole fruit to dry.

    Drying takes place on raised African beds for several weeks, with frequent turning to achieve even moisture release and to avoid overfermentation. The slow natural process enhances the Bourbon variety’s inherent sweetness and amplifies its ripe fruit character, producing a clean, intensely fruity cup with layers of blackberry, watermelon, and tropical notes.

    HISTORY

    Karambo Washing Station serves a network of local smallholder producers who typically farm tiny plots of land, often less than a hectare, with coffee trees intercropped among food crops. As one of the key stations in the Kayanza region, Karambo plays an essential role in supporting farmers through quality control, agronomic guidance, and stable cherry purchasing.

    Burundi’s coffee sector is built around these community washing stations, which function as both processing hubs and social anchors. Kayanza, in particular, has gained international recognition for producing some of the country’s most expressive Red Bourbon coffees thanks to its volcanic soils and high-altitude microclimates.

    The natural lots from Karambo highlight a new wave of processing innovation in Burundi, offering fruit-forward profiles that stand out from the country’s traditionally washed-dominated output.