The latest release of our Select Series is a beautiful expression of the Gesha variety from Finca Rio Dorado, located in Mataquescuintla in the Oriente coffee-growing region of Guatemala. Coffee has been grown in Oriente since the 1950s. Once the poorest region in the country, Oriente has grown into a large coffee producing region for Guatemala. The mountain range, once volcanic, is overcast and rainy with temperate weather and balanced soil.

Located at a height of 1800 meters above sea level, Finca Rio Dorado is a 20 hectare farm. Since its founding in 2004, coffee producer Firmin Aguilar Escalante has strived to produce excellent coffees with high traceability and quality control, resulting in several Cup of Excellence and regional competition winning lots. The name ‘Rio Dorado’ translates to Golden River, which reflects the nutrient rich soil and hydrological features typical of high-end Guatemalan estates.

 
Finca Rio Dorado cultivates various coffee varieties such as Gesha, Pacamara, Catuai, Pache, and Bourbon. The high altitude, stable Oriente-region soil and shaded microclimate under oak, cypress and pine trees support slower cherry maturation and allow for selective harvesting of the coffees grown at the farm.

A wide array of processing methods are used at the farm, ranging from conventional washed, honey, and natural, to more experimental approaches such as anaerobic fermentation and carbonic maceration. Coffees are dried on raised beds, and lot separation by varietal and processing method allows for better quality control. These practices enable Finca Rio Dorado to run a micro-estate model with emphasis on traceability, enabling them to produce highly controlled specialty lots.

This Gesha lot in particular is a washed process coffee, which has been fermented using the anaerobic fermentation method. We found that the anaerobic fermentation gave this lot an extremely fruit forward profile, reminiscent of fresh strawberries and apricots with a heavy, creamy mouthfeel and the sweetness of sugary praline. 

We’re thrilled and proud to be offering this delicious coffee in our limited edition Select Series. Packed in 100g tins, this special release can be purchased now on the Maker website. 

The Ninco family are widely known in the town of Santa Maria for their commitment to land care and specialty coffee production. “I receive better income by producing specialty coffee and this has helped me and my family have a better life and become better coffee producers” says Faver. 

Realising from an early age that coffee production was going to be a long term pursuit for Faver, in the year 2000 the Ninco family acquired their first piece of land. Fast forward to 2025 and they are successfully managing Caturra, Bourbon, Geisha, Colombia and Pink Bourbon varieties. Their farm “Costa Rica” is recognised best for their Geisha and Pink Bourbon plants, receiving wide acclaim as some of the highest quality lots in the Santa Maria region of Huila. 

Faver’s coffee processing techniques begin with a very selective hand picking of only the ripest cherries. The goal here is to avoid including any underripe green cherries which can affect the quality. Finca Costa Rica has its own wet mill and this is where the washed ripe cherries are left to ferment for 24 to 30 hours in plastic containers before being pulped. 

Fermentation is monitored closely for 60 to 80 hours in closed plastic containers. At the end of the fermentation stage the coffee is washed only once, leaving some of the mucilage attached to the outer layer of the beans. The coffee is then taken to the drying area where it will gently reduce in moisture content for around 10 to 15 days, depending on seasonal conditions and the weather forecast. Faver stores the coffee inside GrainPro bags within jute bags in a space at the farm over pallets for it to stabilize for another 10 to 15 days before being prepared for export. This carefully considered approach to sorting, fermentation, drying and storage all play a significant role in increasing the overall cup quality for each lot produced under Faver’s management. The land care and attention to detail in all stages of production go hand in hand for the Ninco’s and we think the results speak for themselves. 

Faver’s Pink Bourbon was harvested in August 2025 and we partnered with Caravela to export this lot to us only a few months later in December. This beautiful coffee has consistently shown a velvety campari-like mouthfeel with lovely tones of ruby grapefruit and ripe cherry character. This is a coffee with hallmarks of great attention to detail at the farm level and we think the Ninco family has produced one of the highlight coffees of the year for us at Maker.

You can BUY Faver's gorgeous coffee now at the Maker Website or visit any one of the Maker Cafes to pick up a freshly roasted 250g bag. 

Mbuti Farm was formally established in 1997 after the owner Ngaari Mwangi decided to stop using a nearby factory to process his coffee, like most other producers in Kenya. Ngaari’s determination in his own ability to go solo has produced incredibly high quality results for many years and he is now at the point of setting up his own small washing station.

Mbuti is categorized as a ‘small estate’ in Kenya. Until quite recently this particular region in Kenya has been frequently overlooked. Traditionally many farmers of this size did not own their own processing equipment, as it is costly and involves a lot more work. 

Most Kenya coffee producers have historically delivered cherry to a centralized cooperative-owned factory, where their production is combined with that of others from their region. 

Ngaari’s decision to begin processing his own coffee on his own farm coincides with regulation changes made in the 1990s (making him an early adopter) and opens up pathways to direct relationships with buyers along with ensuring full traceability back to his farm. 

Mbuti is located near Njukiini Forest which is just on the border between Embu and Kirinyaga. This is a famous region that is home to some of Kenya’s most renowned coffee farms.

Selectively growing two of the classic Kenya SL varieties, controlling the processing with great attention to detail and Mbuti residing at 1750 meters altitude delivers an exceptionally fruit driven cup profile.

At the Mbuti farm, cherry is selectively handpicked and then pulped. Coffee is fermented for 24 hours in a small tank before being washed in clean water to remove any remaining mucilage. Ngaari uses fresh water from the nearby Kanguri stream to process parchment. After washing, parchment is transferred to raised beds where it sundries for 7 to 15 days. The parchment is then turned regularly to ensure an even drying stage of production, which helps to alleviate any inconsistencies in the final coffee.

It is rare to find a single producer lot exported from Kenya, who has controlled the entire chain of production from start to finish. With the logistics help of Sucafina, we were able to purchase Ngaari’s beautiful coffee in 2025 and we cannot wait to share this with you in all the Maker Cafes coming into the end of the year. 

We’re seeing an incredibly expressive candy like sweetness, filled with cherry and crisp fuji apple. Ngaari’s coffee truly is a beautiful way to start your day. 

You can purchase Ngaari’s Coffee today on our website or visit any of the Maker Cafes to collect a freshly roasted 250g bag for your home or office. 

It is our pleasure to present to you the Seasonal Filter Washed, featuring this lovely blend of caturra, colombia and castillo varieties from the San Fermin growers of Planadas in Tolima, Colombia. 

At MAKER we are focused entirely on crafting the highest quality coffee and our commitment to supporting the people that bring it to life remains unchanged. 

Our partnership with Caravela led us to sourcing this wonderful lot from San Fermin and the introduction of the new Seasonal Filter Washed is a remarkable step for our shared values in quality, sustainability, and traceability. 

Every cup of Seasonal Filter that we brew reflects the hard work and dedication of the growers, producers, and logistics workers at San Fermin, Caravela and Maker, and we are immensely privileged to bring you the latest filter coffee release in 2025.

You can purchase this beautifully filter roasted coffee now on the Maker website or visit one of the Maker Cafes to pick up a 250g bag for home or the office. 

Our green coffee selection process at Maker for Ethiopia season this year was simple. We wanted expressive and fruit forward coffees that best reflect the place they are grown and bring an element of precision to their cup quality. 

We were impressed by Shoondhisa several times in our cupping lab before we committed to purchasing stock for 2025. After a closer look, we found that none other than Mr. Ture Waji is responsible for bringing this lot to life and it is no wonder that we have such fond memories of those early pre shipment sample cuppings. 

This group of producers is nestled in the hills of Shakiso, in the famous Guji region, dotted around the Suke drying station. The Suke drying station has been a benchmark coffee in the Sookoo Coffee Exports range since its establishment in 2017. Sookoo Coffee Exports works directly with Osito Coffee Importers who are our logistics provider responsible for bringing this lovely coffee to us at Maker. 

For five years the Suke drying station has served as the beating heart of the Shoondhisa coffee operation which is managed by the wonderfully talented Mr Ture Waji. 

Today, Suke buys cherries from approximately 35 smallholder farmers to produce the famed Shoondhisa natural lot. All cherries that are delivered to Suke are organically produced, reflecting both tradition and ecological stewardship, whilst keeping a keen focus on quality and precision in character that is developed through the attention to timing and detail during the fermentation and drying stages of production. 

We have found the 2025 harvest of the Shoondhisa lot to be delightfully bouyant in quality. With precise attributes that strike a resemblance to fresh blueberries, fragrant hibiscus tea and a deeply moreish cherry top note that we just can’t get enough of. 

This year’s Shoondhisa has a cup profile that reminds us of a time nearly 10 to 15 years ago, where many who were in the growing Melbourne specialty coffee scene fell in love with this particular style from Guji, hurriedly quit their 9-5 jobs, went down the rabbit hole of specialty coffee and never looked back!

This is about as pure as it gets from the Guji region and Shoondhisa is a shining example of a classic Ethiopian natural processed coffee. If you're looking for a game changer cup with oodles of classic character, then you've come to the right place. 

Buy the Shoondhisa Natural coffee from Maker now!

Kirinyaga is located in central Kenya which is home to the second highest mountain peak in the country, Mount Kenya. 

The surrounding soil composition in Kirinyaga is a mix of volcanic clay and silty loam which delivers a highly nutrient dense environment to the coffee trees that are planted here. 

Kirinyaga measures some of the highest levels of calcium and magnesium in the country and it’s no wonder that small holder farmers here are finding success in the quality of their fruit. 

Some of the first recorded commercially planted coffee trees here are from as far back as 1953. This particular Kirinyaga co-op has three wet mills: Kii, Karimikui, and Kiangoi. 

This year at Maker we have chosen to represent the extraordinary efforts of the Karimikui producer group, where specific day lots were chosen and blended to combine in the final product. 

If we could choose a certain style of washed Kenyan coffee to drink, where the incredible purity and clarity shines in each cup, this would undoubtedly be it. 

There is an unmistakable tension between the pristine sweetness and subtle tart-like quality to this coffee, reminiscent of rhubarb, blood orange and blackcurrant.

You can BUY the Karimikui now on the Maker Website or visit any of the Maker Cafes to purchase in store.