[Julekaffe] Uganda Magezi

It is getting cold and perfect for cozy coffee time. A natural SL-14 and SL-28 lot from Bulambuli in eastern Uganda has a complex, chocolaty character with clove and a nice acidity like lingonberry. It is a great coffee for your Christmas cookies, breakfast, or a fun espresso.

Origin: Bulambuli Washing Station

This coffee is processed at the Bulambuli Washing Station in Bulambuli District, built in 2022 by Ibero, a long-time partner of our supplier Nordic Approach. The station works with roughly 200 to 400 smallholder farmers, mostly growing on less than a hectare each in family-run farms organised around local parishes. The name Magezi means "wisdom" in Luganda, a nod to the fruit-forward character of these naturals.

The high altitudes of the area are ideal for growing quality coffee, while the lower ground is used for drying, where specialised staff keep a close eye on the process. Varieties here are similar to Kenya, mainly SL-14, SL-28, and SL-34. Ibero funds the washing station and cherry purchasing, and runs a local team handling cherry buying, farmer support, traceability, milling, grading, and export, with the premiums paid for quality going straight to the producers.

Harvest & Post-Harvest

In eastern Uganda, harvest runs from August to January, starting in the lowlands and reaching the higher altitudes from September onward. Cherries are bought at small collection centres or delivered straight to the station, where they are carefully sorted. For naturals like this one, the selected cherries go to the drying yard and are fermented on raised drying tables, with the layers adjusted to control the fermentation and drying.