From the beautiful landscapes of Lake Kivu comes Gisheke. This natural-processed coffee comes from the Nyamasheke District in Western Rwanda, from the Gisheke Coffee Washing Station operated by Muraho Trading Company. The cup is lively with a silky mouthfeel. The flavor is layered, with notes like dark cherry, florals, cola-like spice, and the sweetness of brown sugar.
Gisheke is especially known for coffees where clarity and sweetness meet. The coffee grows at 1,650–1,850 meters above sea level, where the cooler climate slows down maturation and gives the coffee time to develop. Gisheke sits between two steep hills, with the valley opening directly toward Lake Kivu, Idjwi Island, and to the west, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This “wind tunnel” creates exceptionally ideal airflow for drying, which is one reason the station is considered particularly strong at producing top-quality natural coffees.
Muraho Trading Company purchased Gisheke in September 2017 when it was in poor condition, and it went through a major transformation in early 2018. The station was completed in its current form in April 2018, and today it works with around 628 smallholder farming families who deliver their coffee to be processed. Annual production is roughly 350–400 tons, and some of the coffee even arrives by boat across Lake Kivu. About 40% of the coffee processed at the station is delivered by water from a nearby island.