Coffeeholic

Suggest an improvement

Anything wrong, missing, or worth adding? We read every one.

What is it

Thanks — that's with us

We read every one. If you left an email we'll come back to you when it lands.

Nyeri

Red volcanic soil on the slopes of Mount Kenya; the most sought-after lots.

Altitude
1,600–2,000 m
Harvest
June–July and October–December
Species
Arabica
Processing
Washed

About the region

Nyeri lies on the south-western slopes of Mount Kenya, on red volcanic soil that is the single most cited reason Kenyan coffee tastes the way it does. It is smallholder country organised into cooperative societies, each running one or more factories — the Kenyan word for a washing station.

Kenya's auction system means a Nyeri lot is identified by its factory and grade, and the best factories here are known by name to buyers worldwide.

In the cup

The most concentrated expression of the Kenyan profile: blackcurrant and grapefruit over a fierce, structured acidity, with a heavy, juicy body and a long finish.

Terrain

Steep red volcanic soil on the slopes of Mount Kenya, with two rainy seasons and cool nights.

Varieties

SL28 SL34 Ruiru 11 Batian

Other regions in Kenya

Kirinyaga East of Nyeri, with a dense concentration of well-run factories. Murang'a Southern Mount Kenya, largely smallholder-owned.

Sources

  1. World Coffee Research — Arabica Coffee Varieties (read August 24, 2026) Cited for Varieties