Kenya Auction Lot

The most prized auction and private sale microlots, never blended but artisan roasted one after the other.

How It Tastes

Big and juicy. Browned sugar sweetness with sublime berry and citrus overtones.

History

Established more than 100 years ago, the Kenya Auction is the ultimate meritocracy for coffee, with the top prices awarded to the most exquisite lots, sampled in cupping rooms around the world. Many people say Kenyan coffee is the best there is; we don’t think there’s any better Kenyan coffee than our Auction Lot.

When the crop is at its seasonal best in March and April, we work with our longstanding partner in Kenya to narrow hundreds of top-grade lots at auction down to a select few that meet our standards for perfection. It’s an absolute frenzy — we receive samples directly from the auction and have only a day to taste, debate, compare, and decide on our bids.

Fortunately, more than 25 years of experience buying directly from the Kenya Auction gives us an advantage in this competition. Our approach is precision buying at the highest level, and we bid only on the choicest single lots, rather than stock blends created by exporters. And although we may walk away with the prize, the real winners are Kenya coffee drinkers who love its juicy, complex flavors, brown-sugar sweetness, and dazzling dark berry aromas.

Worth Noting

With the emergence of private sales a few years ago, we will also purchase outside the auction, but only from the same august co-op societies, in the same small bag quantities, and typically at even higher prices.