Vohora SL28

This is a traditional natural SL-28 cultivar coffee from Karatu, Tanzania, produced by the Vohora family on their farm Finagro, located on the Ngorongoro caldera.

The flavor profile is layered and fruit forward with notes of blueberry, strawberry cheesecake, ripe cantaloupe, and dark chocolate.

Under the guidance of siblings Neel and Kavita Vohora, the Edelweiss and Finagro farms in northern Tanzania have evolved from well-managed estate farms into an innovative coffee enterprise. Spanning 1000 acres across the ridges of the Ngorongoro caldera, these farms are producing some of the most exciting coffee harvests in recent years. Among the Vohora family's favored cultivars is the SL-28, a variety selected in the 1930s for its drought resilience and exceptional cup quality. Originally from Tanzania, SL-28 has become renowned in Kenya and thrives on the Vohora farms despite its susceptibility to diseases like berry fungus. The Vohoras have also pioneered processing innovations, including cherry maceration prior to processing. For microlots like the SL-28, the pre-fermentation period is tailored by cultivar to optimize flavor. The SL-28 harvest undergoes several days of maceration on raised beds before completing the 2-3 week drying process and is then stored in GrainPro bags until milling in Arusha.

The farms are located on the outer ridges of the Ngorongoro caldera, a wildlife conservation area home to diverse species, including zebras, lions, and a small population of black rhinos. The estates, owned by the Vohora family since 1971, maintain native forest corridors that allow wildlife to migrate freely, though coffee trees occasionally suffer damage from elephants and water buffalo. The family’s involvement in coffee farming dates back to Neel’s grandfather, who arrived from India and worked as a farm manager for British colonists before Tanzania's independence. Today, Neel's father, Ajai, manages the export business from Nairobi, while Kavita oversees milling and sampling operations in Arusha.