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The Coffee Atlas
Sudan Rume
Sudan Rume, the rare heirloom Arabica from South Sudan's Boma Plateau, with a sourced cupping profile, altitude data and real citations.
Flavor profile
avg. of 2 published reviewsScale: 1-10, Coffee Review / SCA-classic-form convention. Averaged from 2 independently published, dated Coffee Review scores of Sudan Rume lots, both grown by Granja La Esperanza in Valle del Cauca, Colombia (2016 honey-process, 2020 washed). Not a category-wide sample: two lots from one producer, so processing and farm effects are mixed in with the variety.
What it tastes like
Sudan Rume is one of the few genuinely wild-selected Arabica varieties in specialty coffee. Coffee Review describes it as a presumably very old variety originally selected from wild trees on the Boma Plateau of Sudan, close to the Ethiopian border. It is low yielding and fussy, which is why it is rarely planted as a stand-alone crop and why bags of it are small and pricey.
In the cup, the two reviewed lots share a spiced, tea-like profile rather than the jasmine-and-peach sweetness people expect from Gesha. The 2020 washed lot read as cardamom, black tea, bergamot and honeysuckle with a syrupy body. The 2016 honey-process lot leaned fruitier and sweeter: dried raspberry, orange zest and chocolate with a velvety mouthfeel. Body and aroma scored highest in both, with aftertaste the weakest attribute.
Treat the profile as a hint, not a rule. Both reviews come from the same Colombian producer, so farm, processing and roast are tangled up with the variety itself, and two lots are a small sample.
How to brew it
Method fit for this origin · editorial guidance from roaster convention
A light-to-medium filter brew keeps the delicate tea, citrus and spice aromatics legible, which is the reason people buy this variety.
The syrupy body and sweetness can hold up, but small-lot rarity makes it an expensive coffee to dial in.
Immersion emphasizes the full mouthfeel but tends to blur the finer floral and spice detail.
⚠ Fit tiers are editorial guidance drawn from roaster convention; no industry standard scores brew fit, so we show tiers, never invented numbers. Editorial judgment based on how specialty roasters commonly treat delicate heirloom varieties, not an SCA-defined standard and not specific to Sudan Rume.
Altitude & region
Growing elevation, meters above sea level · this entry vs comparison bands
Sudan Rume's range is sourced directly from Ozone Coffee Roasters' varietal guide (see Sources & data) and describes optimal growing altitude, not every farm's elevation. Kenya AA and Brazil Cerrado are shown for scale using commonly published origin altitude bands, not a lot-specific measurement.
Caffeine content
Caffeine by dry weight · each gold dot = 0.1%
Caffeine content tracks species, not variety, origin, altitude, or processing: roughly 1.2% for Arabica versus roughly 2.2% for Robusta, close to double (see Sources & data). Sudan Rume is Arabica; no credible per-variety caffeine figure exists, so the comparison above is by species only, not a measurement of this specific lot.
Where to buy it
Transparency: some links on this site are affiliate links; if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Roasters are picked for genuine, current sourcing of this coffee, never for who pays us.
Portland roaster that sold a Granja La Esperanza Sudan Rume in small runs; check the shop for the current lot, as availability is limited.
View lot→UK roaster that has released Sudan Rume lots in its limited Rare series; recent listings have sold out, so check what is currently offered.
View lot→UK retailer that has listed Sudan Rume lots from Colombian producers; stock rotates.
View lot→Sudan Rume is rare and listings vary widely; check roast dates, whether the bag is labeled 100% Sudan Rume, and seller reviews before buying.
View lot→Sources & data
- Green Coffee Collective: Caffeine glossary entryStates Arabica typically contains 1.2-1.5% caffeine by dry weight and Robusta roughly double at 2-2.7%; basis for the species-level caffeine note
- Ozone Coffee Roasters: Sudan Rume varietal guideBoma Plateau origin, 1941 seed collection, optimal altitude around 1,700-1,800 m, low yields, and breeding contributions to hybrids such as Centroamericano H1, Ruiru 11 and Batian (the breeding claim rests on this source alone)
- Water Avenue Coffee: Colombia Las Margaritas Sudan RumeDescribes Sudan Rume as an heirloom Arabica from the Boma Plateau that is low yielding and hard to cultivate, so rarely grown on its own
- Coffee Review: Colombia Las Margaritas Sudan Rume, Water Avenue CoffeeCupping scores (1 of 2 averaged): August 2016, 93 overall, honey process, Granja La Esperanza, Valle del Cauca
- Coffee Review: Sudan Rume, modcup coffeeCupping scores (2 of 2 averaged): June 2020, 94 overall, washed, Granja La Esperanza, Valle del Cauca
- Coffee Review: scoring methodologyStates Coffee Review rates each of the five categories on a 1 (low) to 10 (high) scale