SEY Coffee

Guchienda Estate in Kibugu, Embu County grows SL28 at 1,800 meters—a variety prized for its cup quality and drought resistance. Hand-picked cherries are washed through a meticulous process: fermented for ~24 hours, floated to density-sort, soaked overnight, then dried on raised beds for 15 days with continuous turning. The result delivers ripe currants, rose hips, and tree tomato notes. Direct estate sourcing offers full traceability and allows for variety separations, ensuring you get coffee managed by Edwin, Benson, and Esther with genuine attention to soil health and cherry selection.

From Yanatile, Cusco at 1,850 masl, this lot showcases the SL9 varietal—a genetically rare cultivar closely related to Ethiopian SL09—grown under traditional, fully organic practices. Hand-picked at peak ripeness, floated to remove defects, de-pulped same-day, then dry-fermented for 30 hours before drying on raised beds. The washed processing reveals a distinctive cup of persimmon, orange blossom, and lilac—delicate and floral in character. SEY sourced only a handful of lots from this remarkable, mountainous region, and the care taken in its production reflects their intentional, long-term relationship with Yanatile's producers.

SEY Coffee's first selection from Sandia Valley in Puno, Peru, sourced from Lisbeth Quispe at 1,950 masl. The coffee is hand-picked at peak ripeness, held in-cherry for 24 hours, floated, de-pulped, then dry-fermented for 36 hours before drying on raised beds for 20 days. The cup delivers apricot, lychee, and Pink Lady apple—a distinctive fruit-forward profile from an exceptionally challenging, remote valley that has historically produced some of Peru's finest coffees. The SL9 varietal (genetically similar to the rare Ethiopian Legacy SL09) adds intrigue to an already rare and worthwhile selection.

From Bumba Hill in Kayanza, Burundi at 1,900 masl, this field blend (likely Red Bourbon, Mibirizi, and SL34) was hand-picked May 15th and processed with precision: floated and sorted, de-pulped same-day, then fermented twice—12 hours dry, then 24 hours submerged—before rinsing, density grading, and 16–20 days on raised beds to 10.5% moisture. The cup delivers dried berries, spice, and orange marmalade complexity. SEY's final Burundi release of the season, sourced through Long Miles Coffee Project's network of 5,500+ growers, represents the kind of remote, meticulously handled coffee that justifies the effort to make it available.

The final harvest pass of the season from prolific Palestina, Huila producer Octavio Rueda showcases Pink Bourbon at 1,830 masl. Hand-picked fruit was floated for defect removal, held overnight in-cherry, then fermented underwater for 80 hours before washing and drying on raised beds. This lot delivers the season's most intense expression: blueberry, hibiscus, and pink lemonade notes that reveal why Rueda remains one of the region's most consistent Pink Bourbon producers and why SEY continues exploring this variety's genetic potential.

From Kayanza in northwestern Burundi near Lake Kivu, a region renowned for coffees with singular character. Hand-picked, floated, and meticulously sorted before same-day de-pulping; the coffee undergoes a distinctive two-stage fermentation—12 hours dry, then 24 hours submerged—before rinsing, density grading, and 16–20 days of drying on traditional raised beds. The cup delivers dark fruit leather, black tea, and baking spice, a profile that anchors SEY's first vintage from the Umoco washing station and reflects their deepening commitment to sourcing from Burundi's challenging but distinctive landscape.

William Ortiz's second lot from Pitalito, Huila showcases Chiroso—a rare Ethiopian Landrace variety recently spreading beyond its Antioquia stronghold. Hand-picked at peak ripeness and processed with precision: floated, overnight cherry-held, dry-fermented 36 hours, then washed and dried on raised beds. The cup is stone fruit–forward with peach and lemon zest framed by wildflower honey, exemplifying why this obscure variety is gaining momentum among specialty producers.

From San Agustín in Huila, Colombia (1,600–1,800 masl), this decaffeinated lot combines Caturra, V. Colombia, and Castillo—a field blend of the region's three most common varieties. Hand-picked and floated to remove defects, the coffee is depulped, dry-fermented for 24 hours, and dried on shaded raised beds for 30 days before decaffeination via ethyl acetate (sugarcane-derived, processed locally at Descafecol in Manizales). The cup delivers a balanced sweetness with notes of orange marmalade, dark chocolate, and strawberry—a rare decaf that doesn't sacrifice character for the removal of caffeine.