Tanzania Mbozi Ilomba

Cup Score: 88.5

ORIGIN: Ilomba Village, Mbeya, Mbozi
VARIETY: Bourbon, Kent, Typica
PROCESSING: Washed
HARVEST TIME: June 2023 Arrival

Ilomba coffee is a treasure for those who crave vibrant, palate-awakening flavors and intricate sweetness across various roast profiles. It offers exceptional value, rivaling Kenyan coffees in complexity without the premium price tag.

Upon grinding, this coffee releases enticing aromas of raw sugars, red raisin, and zesty citrus. The wet aroma is a potent sweet bouquet, leaning more towards raw sugar notes than fruit.

Our initial cupping revealed hints of tropical fruits - think musky papaya and pineapple. Interestingly, in pour-over brewing, these fruit notes take a subtle backseat, allowing other flavors to shine. The brew maintains its vibrancy, with a grapefruit essence complementing the underlying sweetness. As you sip, the tart citrus gracefully transitions into tea-like tannins in the aftertaste.

We've explored Ilomba's potential as both a single-origin espresso and a blend component. The results are impressive - its complex interplay of bittersweetness and fruit notes creates a captivating espresso experience. Whether you're a filter coffee enthusiast or an espresso aficionado, Ilomba offers a flavor journey worth savoring.

Ilomba is a coffee cooperative situated in Tanzania's Mbozi District, close to Iluya town. Founded in 1997, it achieved cooperative status in 2006 with NGO assistance. Members benefit from agronomical support and participate in governance.

Currently, Ilomba focuses exclusively on producing fully washed coffee, prioritizing cup quality. Their processing method begins with cherry flotation for grade separation, removing unripe coffee. They employ an eco-pulper to conserve water while removing the outer cherry. The coffee then undergoes 1-2 days of fermentation to break down the mucilage, followed by washing in clean water channels.

After washing, the coffee is dried on raised tables for about two weeks. The processing station sits at 1700 meters above sea level, with coffee grown up to 1900 meters. Most farms in the cooperative are small, typically less than 2 hectares, cultivating Bourbon, Kent, and Typica varieties.

This meticulous approach to processing, combined with the high-altitude growing conditions and carefully selected coffee varieties, contributes to Ilomba's reputation for producing high-quality coffee.