Subscription Coffees For The Month Of October

 

Continuing with the now established theme of having a strong through line for our 'lil of both sub, this month's subscription features two lots from Kenya processed differently, one a classic washed and the other a natural. Kenyan Naturals have picked up in popularity this year but are still fairly novel so we wanted to showcase one alongside a washed to highlight the differences the process can impart in the cup.

Alongside these, we have our first Colombian offering in a long while to fill out the clean sub,though admittedly this time the sub isn't as squeaky clean as it usually is. To follow this through line of scarier than usual offerings for this months sub. We are dropping a class of coffee that has given certain communities quite the scare as of late. Our first co-ferment for the subs, a coffee confined purely to the funk club sub only.

 

1) Colombia El Mirador Pink Bourbon

Our first plain washed Pink Bourbon/Rosado release since CETO's inaugural launch batch and one we didn't decide to release arbitrarily. We've always been fairly picky with the pink bourbon varietal as it is often plagued by a held in cherry taste and certain vinegary quality to the citrus note that we don't particularly enjoy as we feel gets in the way of the flavor diversity this varietal can offer. This PB however came out surprisingly clean and surprised us with how clean it was and clearly , the importers agree as RoastMasters bought the entirety of the lot immediately after sampling it.

Eduardo Armero is a coffee grower from Narino with considerable experience in high quality coffee production despite his young appearance. He started this new project in Huila two years ago and the coffee has already attracted a good deal of attention. His 6 hectare farm produces a total of 100 bags a year of various varieties, spread of two harvest seasons.

Tasting Notes: Blackberries , Lemongrass , Lady Grey

Funk: 0.5/5

Varietal: Pink Bourbon/Rosado

Region: La Argentina, Mirador, Huila, Colombia

Process: Washed - 24 hours in cherry / 36 hours in mucilage

Altitude: 1700masl

Importer: Roast Masters

2) Kenya Kathakwa AB Washed

A Kenyan coffee we split with Norml and you can definitely tell and as it holds true to the tea like legacy of its progenitor , Minmax. We're gonna have fun experimenting with this coffee and trying to bring the most juice out of it as we can.

Kathakwa Factory, part of the long‑standing Kibugu Farmers Cooperative Society, drawing cherry from more than 1,000 smallholder farmers straddling the Embu–Kirinyaga border. Supported by Kibugu FCS’s agronomic training and pre‑harvest financing, Kathakwa consistently delivers clean, structured Kenyan profiles with excellent physical preparation and grading reliability.

Tasting Notes: Meyer Lemon , Red Grape , Hibiscus Tea

Funk: 0.5/5

Varietal: Field Blend

Region: Kibugu Farmers Cooperative Society , Embu , Kenya

Process: Washed - Ripe cherry is delivered daily and processed using Kenya’s traditional disc depulpers, followed by 24‑hour wet fermentation and a clean water soak that ensures thorough mucilage removal and clarity in the cup. Coffees are slow‑dried on raised beds for 1–2 weeks, then carefully conditioned on site for moisture stability.

Altitude: 1500-1700 masl

Importer: Covoya

3) Kenya Ndiani Natural

Kenyan Naturals have seen a marked rise in popularity this year and we were Natural-ly curious to see what the hype was all about. After sampling a fair few of them , we found them fairly heavy on the held in cherry characteristic that we have previously expressed our distaste for but this natural stood for its very unique profile and that is reflected in its varietal selection. It is surprisingly devoid of any SL34 in its Field Blend.

Tasting Notes: Apple Blossom , Pumpkin Pie , Berries

Funk: 2.5/5

Varietal: SL28 , Rurui and Batian

Region: Nyeri , Kenya

Process: Natural - After ripe coffee cherries were picked and delivered to Ndiaini, the central processing site, those coffee cherries were placed in food-grade airtight bags for 24-72 hours, and thereafter dried on raised beds for about a month.

Altitude: 1815 masl

Importer: Royal Coffee

4) Colombia Edwin Norea Peach

Our first coferment for the subscription and its a house hold name. Dehydrated peach grown on Edwin's farm are used as in place of fresh fruit as fresh fruit is often too high in water content to contribute very strongly to the flavor profile of the end product. Outside of that.
Its a coferment matey , being a captain don't change that. A peach is a peach no matter how many feathers you have in yer cap.

Tasting Notes: Peach Rings , Watermelon-Orange Candy , Honeysuckle

Funk: 3/5

Varietal: Caturra

Region: Huila , Colombia

Process: Honey process, double fermented with added coffee cherry must and dehydrated peach

Altitude: 1,650 masl

Importer: Royal