This is a really lovely honey-processed selection from extreme altitude in Arbegona––one of our favorite growing regions in Ethiopia. In the cup we find a profile of vibrant tropical fruits, herbal tea, and melon.
Ethiopian Landrace
Chericho, Arbegona
2,300 masl
January, 2023
Hand-picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects. De-pulped to retain a precise amount of mucilage. Grade 1 density separated. Fermented underwater for ~36 hours. Dried on raised beds for 10-14 days.
Duwancho is one of the highest-altitude washing stations in all of Ethiopia. We have been focusing on this region for the past several years, as coffees from here continue to perform well in Ethiopian Cup of Excellence competitions. The high elevation and tiny dense seeds create some of the most vibrant and complex profiles we encounter year after year. We will continue going deeper into these hills, and hope to eventually offer single-producer lots from this special place.
Ethiopia is widely acknowledged as where coffee originated, and its production continues to represent about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. DNA testing has confirmed over 60 distinct varieties growing in Ethiopia, making it home to the most coffee biodiversity of any region in the world. Given the tradition of coffee production in Ethiopia and the political interworkings of the Ethiopian coffee trade, it is virtually impossible to get single variety coffee lots from Ethiopia. This is changing, albeit very slowly. Most Ethiopian coffees are blends of the many Ethiopian varieties, and referred to simply as 'Ethiopian Landrace'.
The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole.