Coffees grown in Tanzania are often quite similar to those produced in Kenya, but the most obvious difference is that they are much lighter in terms of acidity. As a result, Tanzania-grown coffees have quite a mellow, winey taste – quite fruity and rustic, often with hints of chocolate undertones. Especially popular are the coffee beans grown on Mount Kilamanjaro (full bodied and with a wonderfully concentrated flavour) and those from Bukoba.

Tanzanian coffee character is typical of the wet-processed coffees of Central and East Africa: bright acidity and bursting with complex flavour mixes. Like the world-renowned Kenyan coffee varieties, Tanzanian coffee does well in terms of export sales. It is popular as a novelty coffee – peaberries are very often sorted out and sold at very high prices, particularly to the US, but it can be hard to find a batch that is truly representative of the quality that Tanzanian coffee is capable of. This is partly due to the fact that batches are someimes tainted, and there’s little to no incentive to improve quality control. Basically, Tanzania’s peaberries are in such high demand that it will receive high premiums for them no matter what the quality is like. In the eyes of the growers, pickers and processors, there’s no advantage in improving thoroughness and raising standards of quality.

However, there are some Tanzanian coffees that are just so good they’re worth taking the risk! Tanzania Blackburn Estate AA is a perfect example. Blackburn Estate is located at a high altitude, and produces a Kenya-style coffee without the often bitter acidity that Kenyan coffees possess. It contains the sweet, winey East African flavours and berry tones that make good Tanzanian coffee such a treat.

Blackburn Estate doesn’t have an easy time of it, with their location close to a conservation area leading to unwelcome visitors such as elephants and water buffalo, which can cause significant damage to water pipes and the coffee plants themselves. But the farmers battle on despite their difficulties, and the coffee beans emerging from Blackburn Estate make for a great cup of Tanzania coffee, the sweet and tangy body with gorgeous blackberry notes making it perfect for blending or just enjoying on its own.

The aroma is sweet and fruity, almost wine-like, a teasing prequel to the sweet and juicy berry flavours in the taste. With a medium body that is not too heavy or thick, this Tanzanian coffee has a wonderful blend of fruity flavours that don’t even hint at being vinegary, as can sometimes happen in fruity coffees when those fruit notes become too overripe. It’s a perfect cup, sweet, smooth and flavoursome.

Add to Del.cio.us RSS Feed Add to Technorati Favorites Stumble It! Digg It!
    www.sajithmr.com

You Should Also Check Out This Post:

More Active Posts: