African coffee enjoys a very high profile in the global coffee market, because the African country Ethiopia is recognized as the birthplace of coffee, and there are also many outstanding coffee-producing countries, such as Ethiopia's neighbor Kenya.

Although Kenya is adjacent to Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, Kenya's coffee industry developed relatively late. It was first brought into Kenya from Reunion Island by French missionaries in the 19th century, and it developed very well. To this day, Kenyan coffee is known for its multi-layered flavors and juice-like acidity, and is loved by many people in the coffee industry.

Kenya is located in eastern Africa and is a country crossed by the equator. Apart from the coastal plains, most of the rest is a plateau with an average altitude of 1500 m. The eastern branch of the East African Rift Valley cuts through the plateau from north to south, dividing the highlands into eastern and western parts. Many volcanoes also stand within Kenya, among which the extinct volcano Mount Kenya in the central highlands has an altitude of 5199 m, making it the second-highest peak in Africa.

Kenya lies in a tropical monsoon zone, so most of the country has a tropical savanna climate, with the coastal areas being relatively hot and humid, the highlands mild, and the rainy seasons from March to June and October to December, with year-round temperatures between 12-24°C. High-altitude mountains, volcanic soil, abundant sunshine and adequate rainfall have made both agriculture and tourism in the country relatively developed.

Coffee is basically grown in the central and western parts of Kenya. In the center there are well-known producing regions such as Nyeri, Kiambu and Kirinyaga, all of which surround the extinct volcano Mount Kenya, and thanks to the fertile volcanic soil and suitable sunlight and rainfall, they cultivate Kenya's finest coffee, and about 60% of Kenya's coffee is produced here.

Mount Kenya covers 142,000 hectares, with an altitude ranging from 1,600 m to 5,199 m, and became a United Nations protected area in 1978, so its natural resources are very rich.

In recent years, the Kirinyaga producing region has gradually come into people's view; this region is located in central Kenya, near the high-altitude Mount Kenya. Coffee is grown at altitudes of 1,300-1,900 m, and the area has fertile volcanic soil, abundant rain and a cool climate, and is known for its strong flavor, rich layers and solid body, and together with the Nyeri producing region it is recognized as one of Kenya's two finest producing regions.

It is understood that the local Kikuyu people call Mount Kenya Kirinyaga or Kere-Nyaga (meaning white mountains in the local language), and since ancient times the local people have revered this mountain as the home of their omnipotent god Ngai.

Most producers in the Kirinyaga region are smallholder coffee farmers who join cooperatives, and the cooperatives provide wet mills, while the coffee farmers send their coffee cherries to the cooperatives' mills for green bean processing.

To taste the coffee flavors of this region, Qianjie obtained a washed Kirinyaga Blackberry Queen coffee bean and applied a medium-light roast.

After roasting was completed, Qianjie cupped it; in the dry aroma it showed berry and delicate purple floral notes, and after hot water was poured in there were dark plum and lemon aromas. On the palate, there was a bright purple fruit acidity, with flavors of dark plum, lemon, berries and plum, a slight sweet aftertaste, and a mouthfeel as soft as black tea.