Datura - Kamavindi Framagi
The Framagi Peaberry from Kamavindi Estate is a vivid expression of the Kenya that coffee lovers most prize — bright, layered with citrus and red fruit, with a clarity and precision that only the fully washed process and meticulous farm management can produce. Peaberry lots, where a single oval bean forms instead of the usual pair inside the cherry, are naturally rare and prized for their concentrated, intense flavour profile. From Peter Mbature's estate on the south-east slopes of Mount Kenya, this lot exemplifies the extraordinary potential of the Embu region.
Kamavindi Estate was founded in 1958 by the late John Njiru Mbature during British colonial rule, when native Kenyans were permitted to cultivate only 100 trees. Since those restrictions were lifted in 1961, the farm has expanded to encompass 10,000 trees across 20 hectares. Today it is managed by Peter Mbature — a third-generation farmer, Q Grader, and now a licensed exporter — alongside his mother Hellen Weveti and sister Gladwell Wanjira.
The farm is planted primarily with SL28 (7,000 trees) — the most prized Kenyan variety, belonging to the Bourbon genetic group and selected by Scott Agricultural Laboratories in the 1930s for its outstanding cup quality and drought resistance. Peter is gradually replacing the remaining Ruiru 11 trees with SL28, aiming for a single-varietal estate of pure SL28. Kamavindi Coffee Lab, his export company and training centre, now supports dozens of small neighbouring farms in the community of Kibugo, helping growers access specialty buyers and improve their processing through education and cupping sessions.