HINATA Seasonal Blend

Origin: Rwanda
Region: Wstern Province, Kaguriro
Farm: Gishamwana Island
Producer: Emmanuel Rwakagara
Varietal: Bourbon
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1500 - 1650 masl

Just a short boat ride from the shores of Lake Kivu lies a place so serene it feels almost imagined: Gishamwana Island. Tucked away in the calm of Rwanda’s western waters, this secluded coffee haven is home to more than 35,000 coffee trees—all grown, milled, and dried on the island itself. The entire production cycle happens here, untouched by the distractions of the mainland.

Gishamwana is privately owned by Emmanuel Rwakagara, founder of COOPAC, a Fair Trade–certified cooperative that operates across the volcanic slopes of northern Lake Kivu. The island is a biodiverse sanctuary where coffee trees share the land with cows, goats, and even a resident albino rabbit—part of a holistic approach that puts environmental harmony at the heart of farming.

Organically grown Bourbon varietals thrive here beneath dense native forest canopy, receiving more shade than is typical in African coffee production. This slower, more protected growth contributes to a cup profile that’s rich, sweet, and complex. And thanks to the island’s natural isolation, many common pests and diseases have simply never arrived.

The cherries are selectively hand-picked at peak ripeness and processed on the same day: pulped, dry fermented, wet fermented, washed, soaked, and then sun-dried on raised beds—each step carefully overseen for quality.

The result? A cup that’s redefined how we see Rwandan coffee. It’s juicy and bright, with a lively acidity and elegant flavours of yellow stone fruit and delicate forest berries. We’re incredibly proud to share this island-grown gem with you.

Origin: Panama
Region: Chiriquí
Farm: Las Brujas, Kotowa Farms
Producer: Ricardo Koyner
Process: Natural
Varietal: Typica
Altitude: 1750 Masl

Introducing Panama - Las Brujas, Lot 1556, a thoughtfully crafted coffee from the renowned Kotowa farms, nestled in Panama’s lush highlands between Boquete and the Volcan region. This location, blessed by cool Pacific Ocean breezes, creates a rare microclimate that nurtures Typica cherries to extraordinary levels of complexity.

Handpicked at peak ripeness, the cherries undergo a meticulous natural drying process. They’re first layered 25cm thick on African raised beds, drying in the shade for eight days, a step that encourages gentle, natural fermentation and intensifies the cherries' inherent sweetness. Following this, they are carefully finished in a dehumidifying room at 18°C and 40% humidity for 23 days, bringing out the coffee’s nuanced character with a beautifully balanced profile.

In the cup, Las Brujas offers vibrant red fruit sweetness, layered with a creamy, yogurt-like softness and rounded by a subtle hint of walnut on the finish. A truly unique and distinctive coffee. 

Filter

Ratio: 15:225
Temperature: 93°C
Grind setting: Medium to coarse
Method:

0:00 pour 75 grams (bloom)
0:45 – pour 75 grams
1:30 – pour 75 grams
2:00 – brew finished

This is a very simple recipe that helps to highlight Hinata’s acidity and sweetness. We suggest a pouring technique with minimal agitation, ideally with a Melodrip or Hario Drip Assist. The brew bed should drain entirely in between each pour, if your brew bed isn’t draining, try grinding coarser. We typically brew with Melbourne tap water (soft water) which has a PPM of ≠ 25. This should result in a delicate cup profile with a juicy acidity, highlighting Hinata’s berry and stone fruit notes. This recipe also works well with other pour-over drippers such as the Hario V60, Orea Brewer, and many others.

Espresso

Dose: 21g
Yield: 46
Extraction time: 26 - 30 seconds