| Malawi |
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 GEOGRAPHY
& CLIMATE:
Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Varies from cool in the highlands to warm around Lake
Malawi. Winter (May to July) is dry and nights can be
chilly, particularly in the highlands. The rainy season
runs from November to March. Around Lake Malawi, in winter,
the climate is particularly dry with pleasant cooling
breezes.
COFFEE BACKGROUND:
Malawi has a long agricultural tradition. Originally settled
by Bantu tribes who traded their agricultural products
with Portuguese merchants, it remained a very primitive
agrarian economy until 1851. Newly arrived missionaries
encouraged the replacement of traditional slash-and-burn
agricultural practices with the plantation methods. Coffee
was one of the first crops to be planted.
Coffee plantations began to flourish in the 1890's following
the construction of the Shire Highlands Railway. The railway
sold much of its land to plantation owners and then profited
from shipping their goods. The rail company held on to
the best land, however, including the unique site of the
Mindali Estate, which wasn’t planted until the early 1830's.
 SPECIES:
Arabica
ALTITUDE AT WHICH GROWN:
Malawi coffee beans are grown in the 2,000 ~3,500-foot-high
Shire Highlands in Malawi. The coffees of Malawi, particularly
its “estate” coffees, have established an excellent reputation
for flavor and consistency. These coffees are not available
in the quantities necessary to satisfy the demand of large
roasters, but nor are they of the stature to be a true
substitute for the Kenyan coffees that many in the trade
yearn for
Malawi has a few plantations and they are producing a
very bold, very soft coffee. If you’re looking for a
nice, mild East African coffee, Malawi would be the way
to go.
PEPARATION METHOD: “Washed” |
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