Intelligentsia

Yandaro sits in Kayanza, Burundi, a region that Intelligentsia sources from directly since 2015. Red Bourbon cherries from thousands of smallholder farmers are washed and dried on raised beds with exacting precision. The cup delivers notes of dried apricot, bright clementine, and sweet persimmon with remarkable clarity—a complex, clean profile that reflects high-altitude terroir and meticulous processing. This is one of Burundi's most underrated origins, and a staff favorite for good reason.

This Ethiopian washed coffee is specifically formulated to shine in cold formats—whether cold brew or flash-chilled. Raised bed drying preserves the origin's bright, fruit-forward character: caramel sweetness, citrus acidity, and dried apricot depth. The blend delivers consistent, flavorful performance over ice for year-round cold coffee drinkers seeking complexity beyond a standard chilled cup.

From the López family's La Mina farm in Buesaco, Nariño at 1,900 m elevation, this washed Caturra has earned multiple Cup of Excellence accolades. The López's selective harvesting and meticulous sorting translate to concentrated fruit expression: pomegranate, mandarin orange, and nectarine leap forward with juicy acidity and aromatic spice. A Direct Trade partner since 2010, La Mina proves that obsessive processing attention at origin delivers measurable complexity and consistency in the cup.

Santa Bárbara in Timbío, Cauca grows Pink Bourbon at 1,850 meters—a variety prized for its distinctive salmon-pink cherries and complex genetics bridging Colombian Bourbon and Ethiopian landraces. The washed process with oxidation and chamber drying preserves bright acidity and clarity. Expect red currant, mandarin orange, and clove notes that highlight the variety's aromatic complexity. This second harvest from the Ruiz family's emerging farm represents a rare opportunity to experience one of specialty coffee's most intriguing modern varieties.

This is Gesha Village's Narsha lot, grown in Bench Maji near the Gori Gesha forest where the variety was first catalogued in 1931. The coffee was selectively harvested and sun-dried on raised beds with meticulous care, preserving the original Gesha genetics and terroir expression. Expect strawberry, pineapple, and violet notes—a vibrant, fruit-forward profile that reflects the variety's Ethiopian roots rather than its better-known Panamanian iterations. Direct Trade partners since 2012, Intelligentsia sources this from one of the smallest and most historically significant plots on Gesha Village Coffee Estate.

From the Guji Oromo region of Ethiopia at 2000–2200 m elevation, this coffee comes from smallholder farmers in METAD's Kirite network, a producer renowned for quality and consistency. Washed and dried on raised beds, the process emphasizes the coffee's clarity and brightness. The cup delivers floral aromatics alongside crisp green apple and sweet red currant notes—a refined, heirloom-driven profile that showcases why Ethiopian coffees remain unmatched for their distinctive character.

La Tortuga comes from La Paz in Marcala, Honduras, grown at 1,650–1,900 meters elevation by Marysabel Caballero and Moises Herrera, who have been refining their craft for three decades. The washed process and raised-bed drying emphasize clarity and brightness in the cup. Expect apple, baked citrus, and toffee—a profile that reflects both the terroir and the meticulous processing that has made Honduras a world-class coffee origin. This is coffee from a Direct Trade partner since 2003, backed by multigenerational commitment to quality.

Sapsucker is a seasonal espresso blend that unites distinct lots from Kenya (Nyeri, 1800m, washed and raised-bed dried), Colombia, and Burundi into a deliberately fruit-forward, sweetness-driven profile. The washed processing contributes clean acidity and clarity to the blend's tropical fruit, ripe stone fruit, and citrus character—with specific tasting notes of lime, dried apricot, and tamarind. This is coffee engineered for sweetness and vibrancy rather than heaviness; it's designed to shine as espresso and rewards the pursuit of bright, layered fruit flavors.

Intelligentsia's annual Summer Solstice celebrates the season with a multi-origin blend sourcing from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Colombia. The Kenyan component comes from Nyeri at 1,800 m elevation, washed and dried on raised beds from the December 2024–March 2025 harvest, sourced through a Direct Trade partnership since 2012. The combination of East African and Colombian terroirs produces an uplifting, layered cup with ripe cherry, juicy orange, and vibrant lime zest—a seasonal standby that balances acidity and fruit-forward character.