Producer:  Network of smallholder farmers

Elevation:  1,400 – 2,000 meters

Coffee Variety:  Typica

Processing Method:  Washed

Harvest Dates:  October – December 2010

The Tana River, Kenya's longest, flows along the base of Mount Kenya.

Both these elements of nature play a significant role in the lives and culture of the Kikuyu people who live there, and they provide the perfect growing conditions for the beans that go into our special Starbucks Reserve™ Kenya Tana River coffee.

Of the thousands of coffees we encounter in our search for the best, only a precious few are deemed exceptional enough to become Starbucks Reserve™ coffees, offered only for limited times at select stores.

Named after the longest river in Kenya where these extraordinary coffee beans grow, this rare coffee is truly a gift from nature.

Named for the Tana River – Kenya’s longest at 440 miles – this exotic coffee is sourced primarily from nine Kikuyu cooperatives representing “smallholder” farmers in Central and Eastern Kenya. Each farm averages a little over two acres of land, upon which stand perhaps 250 coffee trees. When prolonged rains deluged the farms last harvest, a much smaller crop resulted, and concerns ran high However, the ultimate outcome was positive: the crop quality was extraordinary, with better bean size and luscious flavor characteristics.

The result is a very special coffee. Kenya Tana River offers bright characteristics that evoke summer. Its black tea acidity gives way to flavors of red currant and heirloom ground cherries, ultimately delivering a savory sweetness. This special Starbucks Reserve™ coffee is available only at select times and stores, so be sure to enjoy it when you can.