Songwe – Mbozi
Tanzania's Highest-Scoring Lots

Geography & Terroir

The Songwe River basin in Mbozi district sits within Tanzania's southern highlands on the Rift Valley escarpment. At 1,700 metres above sea level, this is one of the highest coffee-growing zones in Tanzania — and the altitude shows clearly in the cup. The pronounced diurnal temperature swing (warm days driving sugar development in the cherry, cool nights slowing respiration and locking in acidity and aromatic complexity) creates ideal conditions for structured, high-clarity washed lots.

Mbozi has historically been one of Tanzania's most important coffee-producing districts, with a well-established cooperative tradition. The farms we work with deliver to washing stations that have invested in controlled fermentation infrastructure — a prerequisite for the clean, structured profiles these lots consistently deliver year on year.

Processing

Both current lots are fully washed. Cherries are hand-sorted at intake, pulped on the day of delivery, fermented in clean water tanks for 36–48 hours under carefully monitored conditions, washed in grading channels, and dried on raised African beds for 14–21 days with regular turning. This precise approach preserves the terroir-driven clarity that defines Songwe–Mbozi lots.

Current Lots

What to Expect in the Cup

Lot 001 – AA (SCA 85.25): A structured, medium-bright washed AA with exceptional stone fruit clarity. Peach and apricot over brown sugar sweetness, a clean rounded acidity, and a long, clean finish. Excellent for filter, pour-over, and light-roast espresso.

Lot 005 – Peaberry (SCA 85.75): Our highest-scoring current lot. The single-bean peaberry format intensifies the terroir — a tighter, more concentrated cup with added complexity, elevated florality, and a longer aftertaste. Exceptional for light filter roasting.