Tanzania Kilimanjaro (Jun - Jul 2021)

Coffee is first thought to have been brought into Tanzania from Ethiopia in the 16th century by the Haya people. Back then, the ripe cherries was boiled, smoked for several days and chewed on, rather than brewed into a drink. 

Tanzania (previously Tanganyika) was under German colonial rule and the colonists mandated the planting of Arabica coffee tress in 1911. However, this method was very different from the way the Haya people had traditionally dealt with coffee growing, and the colonists faced some resistance. The British gained control of the region after World War I, and faced the same conflicts with the Haya people when they tried to plant over ten million seedlings in the region. This resulted in limited production of coffee from Tanzania.

Over the years, efforts have been made to increase coffee production but the results were limited. Nonetheless, coffee can still be found in most highland regions of the country, and approximately 90% of the coffee in Tanzania is produced by 450,000 smallholder farmers. 

The growing regions in Tanzania are, in some ways, defined by their high altitude and they are: Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Ruvuma, Mbeya, Tarime, and Kigoma. 

Our coffee this month comes from one of the oldest growing area in Tanzania, the Kilimanjaro plantation. Located on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, the land is well irrigated with glacial run-offs with highly fertile volcanic soil.  This has led to its reputation and recognition internationally.

We taste notes of dried dark grapes, such as blackcurrant and raisins, black tea, and a bitter-sweet chocolate finish that lingers. 

As our #dYScover beans are roasted specially, and separately from the rest of our offerings, we only have limited quantities per month! If you have ever thought or wondered about specialty coffee from Tanzania, do make sure you give this a try soon!

There are so many different types of coffee grown in various regions of the world, with each region tasting very distinct from one another. 

#dYScover, by Yong Seng Coffee, is our attempt at letting you experience high quality/specialty coffee from the various coffee-producing regions of the world. Read more about specialty coffee here!

Join us on this journey as we bring in coffee from different regions every month, as we explore the world of coffee together.