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Burundi Masenga Hill

A super-balanced Burundian coffee with every sip supporting smallholder climate-resilient farming and reforestation. This crisp, vibrant washed Red Bourbon delivers bright citrus aromatics and a rich, brown sugar sweetness. This low-impact, high-reward coffee that tastes delicious (we love hibiscus flavours!), while actively securing the future of local farming communities in the dramatic, mist-shrouded Burundian highlands of Mumirwa.

These are the men, women, families, communities, cooperatives, and organisations we admire. They cultivate, harvest and process the coffees we source and roast, to share with you.

Tasting notes describe the sensory qualities of the coffee; batching aroma, flavour, body, acidity and finish together to provide a snapshot of what you can expect. It's a subjective shortcut, but it's our take on it.

Higher altitude generally means tastier coffee. Cooler mountain air slows coffee cherry growth, leading to denser beans with more complex flavours. This translates to brighter acidity, fruitier notes, and a richer overall experience. The sweet spot is between 1,220 and 1,850 metres above sea level (masl). Below 920 meters, coffee tends to be milder with earthier, savoury tones.

Coffee processing methods refer to the techniques used to remove the fruit from the coffee bean after harvesting. The most common methods are; washed processing, natural processing, and honey processing.

The washed process involves pulping, fermenting, and drying the coffee cherries, resulting in clean, bright flavours. The natural process dries the entire coffee cherry, producing coffees with a sweeter, fuller body, and often fruity notes. The honey process is a hybrid method that partially pulps the coffee cherry before drying, offering a balance between the washed and natural processes. The processing method significantly impacts the final flavour profile of the coffee.

A coffee varietal refers to a specific type or cultivar of coffee plant. Like grape varieties for wine, coffee varietals play a significant role in determining the final flavour profile of the coffee. Different varietals have unique characteristics, linked to acidity, sweetness, body, and aroma.

We aim to work with coffee producers for as long as possible, forging relationships where they can depend on us to purchase their coffee and we can rely on them to produce exceptional beans. It's a two way street, and truly enables sustainability of the supply chain.

This refers to the process we use to transform green coffee beans into roasted coffee. It involves factors like temperature, time, the rate of heat application, and bean density. Different roast profiles result in varied flavour profiles and we roast our own way here at Craft House. Our profiles are unique and give our coffees character. As a specialty roaster we tend to avoid the darker end of the spectrum but we do crowd please.

A lighter roast emphasises the bean's origin and acidity, while a medium roast balances acidity and sweetness. A darker roast, brings out bolder flavours like chocolate, caramel and nuts.

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The Story

Discover an exceptional specialty coffee from the lush, high-altitude ridges of Burundi. Grown in the Mutambu Commune of the Mumirwa region, this lot represents the collective dedication of 81 passionate smallholder farmers, championed by lead growers Damien Baransamaje and Ernest Habonimana. After a careful hand-harvest, the cherries were delivered to Migoti Coffee’s washing station on Migoti Hill, where they underwent a meticulous processing method designed to lock in vibrant, clean flavours. By providing high-quality processing and maintaining transparent supply chains, Migoti connects these local coffee farmers directly with international buyers and specialty roasters around the world.

The journey from cherry to cup requires incredible precision. Upon arrival at Migoti Hill, the cherries were carefully sorted for quality and left to ferment for a full day before being pulped and washed. To protect the delicate beans and ensure even moisture loss, the coffee was first pre-dried on shaded tables for five days. Finally, it was moved into the sun on raised beds for two to three weeks of optimal, slow drying. This thorough washed process highlights the Red Bourbon varietal's characteristic profile, yielding a beautifully balanced cup with a clean, crisp body, bright citrus aromatics, and a rich, brown sugar sweetness.

Beyond its incredible flavour profile, this coffee represents a commitment to the future of Burundian agriculture. Migoti Coffee is dedicated to sustainable farming practices that address the region's sharp biennial yield cycles, helping farmers secure a more stable income. By promoting reforestation with shade trees, soil stabilisation, and mulching, Migoti actively enhances soil health and helps smallholders mitigate the erratic effects of climate variability.

While climate change has not yet significantly impacted production at these high-altitude farms, Migoti is proactively monitoring future threats. Research indicates a rising likelihood of longer dry seasons, landslides, and shifting rainfall patterns in the region. By purchasing this coffee, you are directly supporting a forward-thinking, resilient community of farmers who are actively adapting to environmental challenges through transparent, world-class partnerships.

CRAFTSTACK™ Programme

CRAFTSTACK™ is our remastered sourcing and sustainability programme.

We only work with high-grade 100% Arabica beans that meet our strict standards. We can pinpoint exactly where our coffee beans come from and who produces them and we always pay our fair share. It’s only right.

We set standards, make change, and spearhead a fair and transparent approach to coffee. One that builds genuine relationships, rewards quality, and ripples across the wider coffee community.

We’ve set quality foundations and defined expectations for our green coffee partners, established a ‘lens’ that filters our coffee selections, and made commitments to make change as a result.

We prioritise smallholdings and those farms striving to do better. We form long-term relationships, and repeat-purchase harvests to support our producers.

Continued cooperation, harvest-to-harvest makes us all better, bonded. This is the way we forge forward. Progress made, but there’s still more to do.

Shipping + Returns

We are an independent specialty roaster and aim to roast to order. Our goal is to dispatch all customer orders within 2-3 working days of receiving them at the Roastery.

We roast coffee daily and post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so you should get fresh coffee within 48hrs of us processing your order. Please note that seasonality and peak periods can affect timings.

We ship for FREE over £25* and also offer local collection.

We dispatch with tracked Royal Mail 48 as standard. Please note that we only deliver to the UK at this time for web orders.

Coffee is a perishable natural product so we are unable to accept returns on coffee orders unless there has been an error. You can return non-perishable products within 28 days of the dispatch date.

For full details please cast your eyes over the full Shipping + Deliveries and Returns + Refunds policies, check out our FAQs, or email us at info@crafthousecoffee.co.uk for more information. We're here if you have any questions.

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Roast Breakdown

Coffees grown at higher altitudes often need more heat at the start of roasting, with closer attention needed after first crack, as their higher density can cause the roast to crash. Keeping the burner on after hearing the first cracks and pops, carefully coming down and then off completely before dropping the coffee out. It's a delicate balance, but the result is a delicious cup with notes of juicy hibiscus, crisp red apple and sweet caramel.

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