Yabitu Koba - Washed

MEET THE PRODUCER | There's something really special about Wate Gogogu. Although coffee has been grown in the Uraga region of Ethiopia for some time, the coffee farms in Wate Gogogu are some of the youngest in all of Ethiopia, with most of their producing trees being a mere 5-10 years old. But here's where the really special part comes in - despite that youth, coffees coming out of Wate Gogogu are consistently some of the most delicious and complex lots at our cupping table. In fact, if the unique name of this special place sounds familiar to you (try saying it ten times fast!), that's because we have offered several lots from Wate Gogogu over the years. This latest selection comes from a private washing station owned and managed by Gorifinesh Alemu, and she has teamed up with our buddies at SNAP Specialty Coffees to bring us this beautiful indigenous landrace lot. Our relationship with this community is steeped in trust and rooted in their commitment to excellence - both in crop and in processing - and we are particularly thankful for our friends at SNAP for making the introduction.

TRUST THE PROCESS | Gorifinesh Alemu purchases from hundreds of farmers in the surrounding villages, but this particular lot was sourced specifically from those smallholders in the Yabitu Koba village of Uraga. It was processed at her private washing station using the traditional underwater fermentation which is popular throughout Ethiopia: the coffee cherries are fermented underwater for 24-48 hours, after which they are soaked in clean water for four hours before being moved to raised beds to dry for 10-14 days.

TAKE A SIP | When most people think of Ethiopian flavor profiles, the one that often comes to mind is Yirgacheffe. Coffees coming out of the Yirgacheffe region are nothing short of beloved, and for good reason: floral characteristics and citrus fruits feature prominently in that profile. In Guji, however, coffee tends to be much more heavily fruited in character - the florals and citrus are still there, but sweet, sticky stone fruits really take center stage. This particular coffee is sweet and heavy-bodied, with soft floral characteristics and an almost-herbal citrus note, like lemongrass. However, it really shows off its Guji origins with stone fruit flavors like apricot, and that characteristic "sticky sweetness," reminiscent of dark honey.

___________________________________________________________________________

Origin | Uraga, Guji, Ethiopia

Producer | Gorifinesh Alemu, in collaboration with SNAP Specialty Coffees

Process | Washed

Variety | 74112, 74158, and other indigenous selections

Elevation | 2160 - 2320 masl