HEZA HILL PB - RED BOURBON, HONEY - BURUNDI

FOUNDED BY BEN AND KRISTY CARLSON, LONG MILES COFFEE PROJECT BEGAN IN 2013 AFTER SEEING A NEWLY PRIVATIZED COFFEE SUPPLY CHAIN RIFE WITH SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE AND POOR FARMING PRACTICES. PRIOR TO LONG MILES OPENING, IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SOURCE A DIRECTLY TRACEABLE MICROLOT FROM A SINGLE COMMUNITY IN BURUNDI, AND THE ABUNDANCE OF POTATO DEFECT MADE EVEN THE BEST LOTS INCONSISTENT FROM CUP TO CUP. THROUGH THE OPENING OF 3 DIFFERENT WASHING STATIONS IN BURUNDI, AND THE DILIGENT EFFORT AND COMMUNICATION WITH 12 INDIVIDUALLY TRACEABLE "HILLS" OR COFFEE GROWING COMMUNITIES, LONG MILES HAS MADE LONG STANDING YEAR OVER YEAR COFFEE RELATIONSHIPS IN BURUNDI NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, BUT COVETED AMONGST ROASTERS WHO'VE HEARD AND TASTED NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS FROM THEM. IN A CONSTANT PURSUIT OF COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, EDUCATION, AND HIGH COFFEE QUALITY, LONG MILES HAS ALSO STARTED THE COFFEE SCOUTS PROJECT. LEAD BY A TEAM OF LONG MILES' VERY OWN AGRONOMISTS, THE COFFEE SCOUTS ARE A TEAM OF 26 YOUNG BURUNDIANS LIVING LOCAL TO THE VILLAGES THEY WORK WITH. THE SCOUTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH ONGOING AGRONOMY EDUCATION AND ARE PRACTICALLY TRAINED IN COFFEE FARMING BEST PRACTICES. THEY WORK YEAR ROUND AS FULL TIME EMPLOYEES TO TEACH CLASSES AND HELP PLANT SHADE TREES AT SMALLHOLDER FARMS ALL THROUGHOUT THE HILLS THAT LONG MILES WORKS WITH. ALL OF THIS EFFORT HAS CULMINATED IN THE BEST COFFEE FROM BURUNDI WE HAVE EVER TASTED, OFTEN TURNING OUT BETTER THAN MANY ETHIOPIAN AND KENYAN LOTS WE COME ACROSS.

THIS LOT IS THE RESULT OF PRECISE SCREEN SIZE SORTING DONE AT HEZA WASHING STATION, WITH ANYTHING FALLING BETWEEN 14-15 SCREEN BEING DESIGNATED AS " PEABERRY" AND SEPARATED OUT INTO IT'S OWN REGIONAL LOT, REPRESENTING WORK FROM THE WHOLE HARVEST SEASON AND ALL OF THE PRODUCERS SURROUNDING HEZA IN BUTANYERERA, KAYANZA. IN THE CUP, WE FIND LOUD AND JUICY MANGO NOTES THAT QUICKLY COOL INTO JAMMY APRICOT TONES AND AN INTENSE, LINGERING FLORAL FINISH OF JASMINE AND HONEYSUCKLE.