Madagascar Coffee Review: Washed Red & Yellow Bourbon from Haute Matsiatra by Qima Café

 In the past, whenever I shared knowledge about different coffee origins, it seemed that if you searched using the keyword “Madagascar,” you could actually find quite a lot of information. Yet deep down, I always felt a bit regretful—I had never tasted coffee from there myself, and I didn’t know when I would finally get the chance.

Not long ago, a friend of mine went café hopping and happened to come across a washed Red/Yellow Bourbon from the Haute Matsiatra region of Madagascar, roasted by Qima Café. Among coffee enthusiasts, there’s always this natural habit of sharing and exploring together. Since beans from such a rare origin are hard to come by, my friend kindly saved a portion for me. And that’s how today’s article came to life. Through the flavor evaluation of this coffee, I’d like to talk with you about the unique terroir and charm of Madagascar coffee.

Before diving into Madagascar itself, I’d like to briefly talk about Qima Café. This isn’t the first time it has appeared in my articles. In the past, I’ve shared tasting notes of some of their roasted beans. But in my opinion, Qima’s greater value lies in its continuous effort to explore and uncover lesser-known coffee origins. It opens a broader window into the world of coffee terroir.

Qima has launched a coffee series called “Best Served Bold.” What a fitting name—“bold at its best.” The coffee I’m sharing today comes from this very series. Right at the beginning of the description, they offer a rather refined phrase: “Distinctive coffees that speak for themselves.” Any bean selected for this lineup is one that Qima believes possesses highly expressive flavors—coffees with clear personality and character. Combined with Qima’s long-standing philosophy of “from tree to cup” traceability, the brand emphasizes innovation, integrity, and an uncompromising pursuit of flavor. When you see a positioning like this, you know the coffee is likely to be something special.

Madagascar actually has one of the most unique coffee ecosystems in the world. The island is home to more than 60 wild coffee species that cannot be found anywhere else. Its highland regions, traditional farming practices, and clay-rich soils provide ideal climatic conditions for growing coffee with distinctive flavor characteristics. However, the country’s specialty coffee industry is still relatively small and largely undiscovered. In a way, this also suggests enormous untapped potential for developing high-quality coffee in Madagascar.

Qima has already begun sourcing directly from smallholder communities in the south-central highlands, and Qima Café even opened the first café in Madagascar itself.

The coffee I’m sharing today comes from the Haute Matsiatra region in the south-central highlands of the island. Coffee was first cultivated here in the early 20th century. Although production has declined over time, small farmers have continued to grow the traditional Red and Yellow Bourbon varieties that are particularly representative of the area.

These coffees are grown at elevations between 1,300 and 1,700 meters above sea level. The region’s cool climate and clay-rich soil contribute to a smooth, rounded mouthfeel and delicate sweetness in the cup. Madagascar’s geographic isolation has also helped preserve these heirloom Bourbon genetics, giving the coffee both historical significance and a unique genetic heritage.

Beyond simply purchasing coffee from local farmers, Qima also studies Madagascar’s native varieties and agricultural potential in greater depth. Their goal is to help restore a coffee-growing region with remarkable biodiversity and promising prospects for the future.

This is actually one of the aspects I admire most about Qima. In their view, coffee is not just about traceability—it’s about building the entire chain from the ground up. From cultivation and processing to roasting and brewing, they ensure transparency, integrity, and traceability throughout the full journey of each cup. They even distribute coffee seeds to young farmers, work closely with growers to guide cultivation techniques, explore innovative drying methods, apply precise processing methods, and use scientific roasting approaches to unlock the flavor potential of each coffee.

Before talking about the tasting itself, let’s briefly look at the flavor characteristics of Red and Yellow Bourbon varieties.

Yellow Bourbon is known for its balanced acidity, noticeable sweetness, and rounded mouthfeel. It often presents layered flavors of citrus, caramel, nuts, and chocolate. Red Bourbon, on the other hand, is built on a foundation of pronounced sweetness, excellent body, and clean acidity. Together, these qualities often create a classic and harmonious balance.

I believe you can find all of these characteristics in this particular coffee. It feels like a very classic expression of the varietal profile while also showcasing the charm of terroir.

From the aroma of the beans to the dry fragrance of the freshly ground coffee, I noticed notes of white florals and yellow fruits, with a very pleasant sweetness.

For brewing, I used about 17 grams of coffee. Since the beans had rested for a while after roasting, degassing was already sufficient. I slightly shortened the bloom time and used a combination of medium water flow with circular pouring and center pours throughout the process, paired with a fast-flow filter paper.

The final brew ratio was roughly 1:15.7, yielding about 229 grams of liquid, with a beverage ratio of around 1:13.5. This is usually my preferred range because I find it to be the sweet spot for experiencing the body of different coffees.

In the cup, the flavor intensity is mostly concentrated in the front of the palate. There’s a complex floral aroma mixed with citrus-like fruit notes. However, this citrus character doesn’t resemble the brightness of fresh fruit—it’s closer to the flavor of dried citrus peel or preserved fruit. There also seems to be a subtle spice-like tone layered within it.

As the cup progresses into the mid and later stages, the flavors become softer. A gentle bitterness begins to emerge, reminiscent of tea. Although the official tasting notes mention cocoa powder, I personally don’t think the bitterness reaches a cocoa-like intensity—it still feels closer to a tea-like bitterness.

In the finish, the sweetness remains, accompanied by a slight lingering bitterness that settles toward the back of the tongue.

What stands out most to me is the complexity of both the dry and wet aromas, which makes the coffee feel quite distinctive. The sweetness remains consistently present, and the cup is very clean overall. That said, the flavor layers don’t open up dramatically—they tend to stay concentrated in the early part of the tasting experience.

The mysterious spice-like tone is hard to define, but it gives the coffee a slightly unconventional character. In a way, it almost feels like a hybrid between Southeast Asian coffees and African coffees—which is quite interesting.

This was my first time tasting coffee from Madagascar. It has its own unique flavor tension. It may not be overwhelmingly stunning, but it is certainly distinctive and memorable.