Tasting notes from Uganda and the sadly elusive Bugisu AA single origin arabica

Uganda is not only home to the endangered Mountain Gorilla and Jose Chameleon (Africa’s answer to Ricky Martin); but is also the 7th largest coffee producer in the World and 2nd largest in Africa, simply due to the massive quantity of Robusta the country grows. 

However, in the East close to the Kenyan border on Mt Elgon, there is a region that is producing some of the most exquisite Arabica coffee you will ever taste anywhere in the World; this is the coffee of Bugisu. Grown at altitudes of 4500 to 8300 feet, the farmers of Bugisu manage relatively small crops of around 2ha, all of which employ organic methods. Farmers maintain these plantations not by using chemicals, but instead by integrating plants with other traditional food crops such as banana trees, which not only shade the coffee, but act as homes to hundreds of birds and small animals all of which help to control infestations of parasites and insects. In addition to this, approximately 3800 small farms in an area called the Sipi Falls have UTZ certification, which is a fair trade initiative.

Sadly, despite Uganda producing some of the World’s best coffee, its unstable politics, poor infrastructure for transportation, and land locked location makes it near impossible to get your hands on this country’s most valuable asset before it has unsurprisingly sat for months steaming in a shipping container.

Due to its incredible body and relatively low acidity, Bugisu is one of the few single origin coffees that can be served as is, without the need to blend. As an espresso it is full bodied and syrupy with plenty of strength and has a mild acidity unlike its neighbour, Kenya, which has a winey and bright acidity. The Bugisu is rustic and earthy with citric tones, and as a milk based drink it cuts through with some warm chocolate flavours. However, blending with any of the Central Americans such as a Nicaraguan, Costa Rican or Guatemalan will help add some acidity and brighter flavours. I find there is no need to use any Robusta when using the Bugisu AA as its strength and crema are more than sufficient for a full bodied espresso.

The Coffee

Location: Uganda Region – Bugisu, Sipi Falls
Plant Type: Arabica
Process: Wet Processed

Cup Profile

Fragrance/Aroma: Chocolatey, spicey
Flavour: Rustic fruit notes, mild earthiness
Finish: Very smooth and long on the palate
Acidity: Low
Body: Full, heavy and quite rich

Rob Stewart is master roaster with Ducale Coffee in Melbourne. He can be contacted by email at raste3@optusnet.com.au

Tags: Bugisu AA coffee, Coffee production, Fairtrade coffee, single origin coffee, world coffee

This entry was posted on Friday, May 30th, 2008 at 9:43 am and is filed under Coffee Profiles, Online Magazine, Types of Coffee. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.