Tasting Notes

FLAVOR: Dark Chocolate • Golden Raisin • Cranberry • Rose
BODY: Medium
ACIDITY: Medium
PROCESS: Black Honey

Size: 12 oz
Roast: Light

Origin Notes

Mt. Elgon Black Honey

Grown on the lush volcanic slopes of Uganda’s Mt. Elgon, this limited-release coffee is a perfect example of why we love sourcing exceptional single-origin coffees. Carefully cultivated by smallholder farmers and processed by Kyagalanyi Coffee, this Black Honey micro-lot delivers remarkable sweetness, vibrant fruit character, and exceptional balance.

Roasted in small batches at Hill Tree Roastery, our goal is simple: preserve everything that makes this coffee unique so you can experience the flavors exactly as they developed on the mountain.

Mt. Elgon | Where Elevation Creates Flavor

Towering along the Uganda-Kenya border, Mt. Elgon is one of East Africa’s premier coffee-growing regions. Coffee is cultivated between 1,600 and 1,800 meters (5,250–5,900 feet) in nutrient-rich volcanic soils with abundant annual rainfall. These conditions allow coffee cherries to mature slowly, developing greater sweetness, complexity, and density.

Nearly every cherry is hand-picked by smallholder farmers who selectively harvest only ripe fruit. The result is a cleaner, more expressive cup that reflects both the land and the care invested in every harvest.

Black Honey Processing

The Black Honey process strikes a beautiful balance between washed and natural coffees.

After the outer skin is removed, most of the fruit’s sticky mucilage remains on the bean as it slowly dries on raised beds. Because the coffee spends more time surrounded by this natural fruit layer, sugars gradually develop and deepen, producing a cup with enhanced sweetness, layered fruit notes, and an exceptionally smooth mouthfeel.

Expect a coffee that’s rich and syrupy without becoming overly fermented—offering complexity with remarkable clarity.

SL14 & SL28 | Varieties Built for Quality

This coffee features two celebrated Kenyan Arabica varieties: SL14 and SL28, originally developed by Scott Laboratories.

• SL28 is prized throughout the specialty coffee world for its vibrant acidity, sweetness, and exceptional cup quality.
• SL14 is known for producing consistent, balanced coffees while thriving in East Africa’s diverse growing environments.

Together, they create a cup that’s elegant, fruit-forward, and beautifully structured.

Uganda | An Emerging Specialty Coffee Origin

Uganda has long been recognized as Africa’s largest producer of Robusta coffee, but its high-altitude Arabica has quietly become one of specialty coffee’s rising stars.

Regions like Mt. Elgon continue attracting attention for producing coffees with remarkable sweetness, floral aromatics, and refined fruit character. Investments in farmer education, modern processing, and quality-focused production have transformed Uganda into one of East Africa’s most exciting coffee origins.

This micro-lot captures that evolution beautifully, offering layers of dark chocolate, golden raisin, bright cranberry, and delicate floral notes that continue to develop as the cup cools.

Why You’ll Love This Coffee

If you enjoy coffees with natural sweetness, vibrant fruit, and a silky body, Uganda Mt. Elgon Black Honey deserves a place in your rotation. It’s approachable enough for everyday brewing yet complex enough for coffee enthusiasts who enjoy discovering how origin, elevation, and processing shape every cup.

Like all Hill Tree Roastery coffees, this coffee is roasted in small batches to highlight its natural characteristics rather than overpower them. We believe great coffee begins at origin, and our job is simply to help those flavors shine.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is this coffee sweet?

Yes. While no sugar is added, the Black Honey process naturally enhances sweetness, producing notes of dark chocolate, dried fruit, and ripe berries.

What does “single-origin” mean?

Single-origin means every bean in this bag comes from one geographic origin rather than being blended from multiple countries. This allows you to experience the unique flavors created by that region’s climate, soil, elevation, and processing methods.

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Does a light roast mean more caffeine?

Not really. Light and dark roasts contain very similar amounts of caffeine. The biggest difference is flavor—light roasts preserve more of the coffee’s natural fruit, floral, and origin characteristics.

What brewing method works best?

This coffee shines as a pour-over, Chemex, AeroPress, or drip coffee, where its layered fruit and floral notes can fully develop. It also makes an outstanding light-roast espresso for adventurous coffee lovers.

Why do the flavors change as the coffee cools?

As coffee cools, your palate can detect more subtle flavors. You may notice the dark chocolate first, followed by golden raisin, cranberry, and delicate floral notes becoming more pronounced later in the cup. This evolving experience is one of the hallmarks of high-quality specialty coffee.