FILTER | KENYA SUBRA APO

Nestled in the heart of Nyeri’s Central coffee district, the Ndurutu washing station sits at an altitude of 1,700–1,720 metres above sea level. This region, with its volcanic soils and ideal climate, has long been known for producing some of Kenya’s most vibrant coffees. Ndurutu has been operating since 1999 and now brings together the harvests of over 500 smallholder farmers growing classic Kenyan varieties like SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian.

The station is part of the Rutuma Cooperative and plays a key role in the region’s coffee community. Joel Kariuki leads the station, supported by Jenniffer Murage, who oversees cherry reception and production, and Patrik Maina, who manages moisture levels and drying. Together, they ensure every stage of processing is carried out with precision and care.

For this lot, cherries were carefully hand-picked and sorted by ripeness before undergoing an innovative OOTB Anaerobic Natural Sleeping Bag fermentation — a process involving over 300 hours of anaerobic fermentation followed by controlled outdoor drying using a specially developed “sleeping bag” technique. Once processed, the coffee is transported to the Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society Dry Mill for final preparation.

This is the first year these experimental methods have been applied at cooperative level in Kenya, having previously only been used on small farms. Thanks to a partnership with KCCE (Kenya Cooperative Coffee Exporters), Ndurutu’s people were able to help introduce new processing methods that bring exceptional clarity and complexity to the final cup — and offer producers access to a new, high-value market.

This lot is named Subra, after one of the stars in Leo Constellations Range, and showcases a stunning flavour profile: expect juicy notes of grapefruit, blueberry, lime and earl grey, with a clean, bright finish and a silky body.