Zimbabwe
A staple coffee for Sweet Maria's when we started out is now hard to find ... that might change though!
Zimbabwe coffee was often overshadowed by other East African origins, namely the bright and powerful coffees of Kenya. Yet they are quite different in terms of flavor profile and balance.
Zimbabwe was always a balanced "drinking coffee" with body, chocolate and moderate acidity. Some of the intrinsic cup flavors bordered on wild (or even unclean) . Whether it is from the terroir or the cultivars used, Zimbabwe coffees sometimes have an earthy chocolate or slight leathery flavors that (in moderation) are pleasant, but in excess are less than ideal.
Some of this is due to the mix of Catimor cultivars grown along with older types. But an ideal Zimbabwe can have excellent acidity accenting complex roasty notes, almost savory in character. These result in a nice balanced cup, and while it may not be flashy, it's a good drinking coffee.
You can read more about the way we source Zimbabwe coffee, on our Zimbabwe Coffee Library page.