Ibonia Estate, run by Solomon Waithaka in Kiambu, spans nearly 200 hectares, though this lot comes from a smaller 15 hectare section of the farm known as the Imani Block. At 1,750 MASL, Solomon grows SL-34 and Ruiri 11. This AB separation was harvested between October and December 2025, marking our first Kenyan arrival of the new season. The cup is ripe and vibrant, with a syrupy sweetness and a fresh acidity. We’re finding notes of clementine, red berries, and currants, with the structured sweetness we love from great Kenyan coffees.
While most of the coffees we purchase from Kenya come through cooperative washing stations, this is one of the first single-estate lots we’ve worked with from the country. Solomon is doing deeply thoughtful work at Ibonia, focusing on small lot separations by harvest date and maintaining older SL plant stock alongside Ruiri 11. His attention to detail and long-term approach to quality are already showing in the cup, and we’re excited to share this first release from the estate.
Cherries are picked at peak ripeness and floated to remove defects. The ripe cherries are then depulped, density sorted, and left to ferment underwater for 16-18 hours. Following fermentation the seeds are thoroughly rinsed, soaked and rinsed again to remove all mucilage. They are then moved to drying beds where they dry for 13-15 days.
