Most shops chase Ethiopian coffees—and don’t get me wrong, I understand why. Ethiopia produces some of the most distinctive and recognizable coffees in the world. The florals, the fruit, the complexity—when an Ethiopian coffee is great, it can be unforgettable. But personally, I’ve always had a soft spot for Rwanda. There’s something about the balance, sweetness, and overall structure of a great Rwandan coffee that keeps pulling me back. They tend to be incredibly refined while still delivering plenty of character, and when they’re done right, they offer a drinking experience that feels both exciting and effortless.
Case File 48 comes from the Mutovu Washing Station, located near the Nyamasheke Forest in western Rwanda. Produced as a dried natural, this coffee showcases just how expressive Rwandan naturals can be when processing and quality control are executed at a high level. It carries all the fruit-forward intensity you hope for from a natural process, but it does so with remarkable clarity and balance.
In the cup, expect notes of cherry jam, dried fruit, and orange blossom. The fruit character is rich and layered, bringing plenty of sweetness without becoming heavy or overly fermented. As the coffee cools, the floral qualities become more apparent, adding elegance and complexity to the cup. A juicy sweetness runs throughout the entire experience, supported by a delicate body that keeps everything feeling clean and approachable. The result is a coffee that is expressive and vibrant while maintaining a level of structure that makes every sip feel intentional.
What I love most about this coffee is how versatile it is. It performs beautifully as both drip and espresso, delivering plenty of sweetness and fruit in either format. But if you really want to experience everything this coffee has to offer, brew it as a pour over. The slower extraction highlights the coffee’s clarity and floral complexity, allowing the orange blossom notes and delicate sweetness to fully unfold. It develops a tea-like elegance while still carrying the deep fruit character that makes natural-process coffees so compelling.
This is the type of coffee that reminds you why Rwanda continues to earn its place among the world's great coffee origins. It’s sweet, clean, expressive, and incredibly drinkable. Every element feels balanced, from the fruit to the florals to the finish. It’s the kind of coffee that keeps you coming back for another cup before you've even finished the first.
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RWANDA (Case File 048)
Elevation: 1950 masl
Region: Nyamasheke District
Variety: Bourbon
Producer: CO-OP
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Cherry Jam, Dried fruit , Orange Blossom
Roast Profile: Medium/Light
