Founded by Ben and Kristy Carlson, Long Miles Coffee Project began in 2013 after seeing a newly privatized coffee supply chain rife with systemic injustice and poor farming practices. Prior to Long Miles opening, it was nearly impossible to source a directly traceable microlot from a single community in Burundi, and the abundance of potato defect made even the best lots inconsistent from cup to cup. Through the opening of 3 different washing stations in Burundi, and the diligent effort and communication with 12 individually traceable "Hills" or coffee growing communities, Long Miles has made long standing year over year coffee relationships in Burundi not only possible, but coveted amongst roasters who've heard and tasted nothing but good things from them. In a constant pursuit of community empowerment, education, and high coffee quality, Long Miles has also started the Coffee Scouts project. Lead by a team of Long Miles' very own agronomists, the Coffee Scouts are a team of 26 young Burundians living local to the villages they work with. The Scouts have been provided with ongoing agronomy education and are practically trained in coffee farming best practices. They work year round as full time employees to teach classes and help plant shade trees at smallholder farms all throughout the Hills that Long Miles works with. All of this effort has culminated in the best coffee from Burundi we have ever tasted, often turning out better than many Ethiopian and Kenyan lots we come across. In our first year of this relationship with Long Miles, we hope to explore these 3 different lots thoroughly, and continue to purchase them year over year going forward. We deeply admire the work Long Miles does and see it as a model for what the future of the coffee industry needs to become in order to combat global instability from the changing climate and other challenges.
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Ninga Hill:
Sitting beside the Nkokoma River sits Ninga washing station at 1,900masl. Previously, farmers surrounding Ninga Washing station needed to travel all the way to Bukeye to deliver cherry. After realizing the immense quality potential of the region, this washing station was built to centralize production and reduce their commute. While the cup is hot, loud n juicy lime acidity, nearly veering into key lime pie territory. Through the centerline, there's a lovely white tea note that begins to settle and balance the lime acidity a little. As the cup cools, some notes of green tea and jasmine pearls rise to the surface and linger long on the finish.
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Mutana Hill:
Getting to Heza washing station requires long treks up mountain-sides and crossing small hand-built log bridges. Heza is Long Miles' most remote washing station, serving a community that would otherwise have a long journey ahead of them come harvest season. Heza means "Beautiful Place" in Kirundi, the local language in Burundi. Enchanting views of the east-african sky seen from the mountains in this village gave it its name. In the cup we find intense oolong notes, with subtle syrupy tones under it. As the cup begins to cool, ripe, creamy and sweet peach and apricot flavors spring up, milky sweetness like peach ice cream. Classic eth florals start popping, with a lovely combo of lemon verbena, bergamot, and jasmine.
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Munyinya Hill:
Located on the outskirts of Bukeye Village in Kayanza at 1,760masl, Bukeye washing station was the very first operation Long Miles built. Bukeye lives and breathes coffee, most of its population are coffee farmers and the surrounding producers receive both a cherry payout, and yearly premiums for quality consistency. In the cup, the cola spice notes hit first, abruptly countered by a bright orange blossom floral. As the acidity starts to peak, fresh and ripe oranges pop up, settling in with more spice and black tea notes on the finish. A strong oolong tea note crops up just in the final sips of this one, similar to a puer tea orange.
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