Ethiopia Coffee
Courtesy of Kenneth Davids, 21st Century Coffee: A Guide
For many, the word Ethiopia provokes visions of deserts, droughts and famines. Yet the lush, green hills of southern and southwestern Ethiopiaare more likely to strike visitors who actually go there as paradisal. And, although Ethiopia remains among the world’s poorest countries per capita, for the coffee aficionado it is perhaps the richest place on earth, the source of some of the world’s most varied and distinctive coffees. Ethiopia typically generates about 4% of the world’s coffee, but all is Arabica and much of it is impressive to extraordinary.
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Southern and Western Ethiopia
The producing regions of southern and southwestern Ethiopia in particular stand apart from the world’s other fine coffee origins. Witness:
- The forests of southwestern Ethiopia are the original botanical home of Coffea arabica, and they continue to harbor most of the unexplored genetic diversity still existing in the species.
- Much Ethiopia coffee is produced from indigenous Ethiopian varieties of Arabica; these native landrace varieties display symphonic complexities in aroma and flavor that, at their most distinctive, can make even other distinctive varieties of the world — like SL28 and Bourbon — seem a bit limited in sensory range. The only currently cultivated competitor to the finest native Ethiopian varieties in respect to cup and complexity is Geisha or Gesha, which is an Ethiopia variety (a particularly brilliant one) brought to the New World.
- Export-quality Ethiopia coffees from the south and west are almost always free of significant processing or drying taints. Fruit removal for the wet-processed coffees of these regions is performed using classic ferment-and-wash techniques carried out at well-managed, centralized wet mills or washing stations. Dry or natural-process coffees intended for the specialty market are most likely prepared with analogous care.
- Almost all Ethiopia coffee is grown by small-holding farmers, most of whom very likely have never used chemical inputs. Not only is this reassuring to consumers, but it also makes a transition to formal organic certification relatively easy, accounting for the widespread availability of superb organic-certified Ethiopias.
- Ethiopians deeply care about coffee and understand it. Its lore is woven into their culture. They do not produce great coffee and then go home to drink tea, as Kenyans do, or instant coffee, as sadly occurs in many of the coffee world’s other coffee-growing regions. The Ethiopians themselves consume close to half of their country’s production, most of it roasted fresh.
- Unfortunately for the many cash-poor villages of small-holding Ethiopia farmers, but fortunately for coffee lovers elsewhere in the world, most fine Ethiopia coffees are amazing bargains. A really distinguished coffee from the Yirgacheffe region is luminous, extraordinary, as great and distinctive as any in the world, yet it is likely to sell for routine, everyday specialty coffee prices.
The Harrar Exception
Note that these glowing affirmations apply mainly to the coffees of southern and western Ethiopia (traded through the capital Addis Ababa, including the most famous market names Yirgacheffe and Sidama/Sidamo) and not necessarily to the coffees of eastern Ethiopia, which are traded through the city of DireDawa and are sold under the market name Harrar (also Harar, Harer or Harari). Harrars more resemble the coffees of Yemen than the coffees of southern and western Ethiopia; they are produced from indigenous tree varieties naturalized to the rather arid growing conditions of the Harrar region and are almost always processed by the dried-in-the-fruit or natural method.
Unlike the relatively dynamic coffee industries of south and west Ethiopia, Harrar has languished over the past two decades with little innovation or improvement in quality. Many Harrar coffee farmers now prefer to grow khat, a tree whose fresh leaves are chewed as a stimulant, and which offers them year-round income rather than seasonal income, as does coffee.
At this writing, one only occasionally sees Harrar coffees in the North American specialty market, although they may be a bit more common in northern Europe. Hopefully Harrar will find the leadership and partners it needs to bring it back into specialty coffee as the great and honored origin it was 40 years ago.
Ethiopia Growing Regions
The coffee-name geography of Ethiopia is changing. Overlaid on the traditional regional names— particularly Yirgacheffe and Sidama (or Sidamo), both celebrated names in recent coffee history — are more lately established names for regions, zones and districts aimed at reflecting and honoring various Ethiopian traditional or tribal identities. These newer names form the backbone in the complex ECX grading system. On bags and websites, you may find the old, generalized regional naming or the newer, more ethnically correct terminology, or both. Or the main descriptor simply may consist of the name of one of the many well-known cooperatives or wet mills.
Ethiopia Coffee Ratings and Reviews
The Ethiopia coffees reviewed below are listed in reverse chronological order by review date. Only reviews published in the past five years are displayed. Click here to view older reviews of coffees from Ethiopia. Older reviews may no longer accurately reflect current versions of the same coffee.
Opulent, fruit-saturated and impressively composed. Blueberry, pomegranate, mango, violet and cocoa nib in aroma and cup. Vibrant, juicy acidity; full, velvety mouthfeel. The finish is long and expressive, with notes of blueberry, violet and cocoa nib.
Price: NT $420/8 ounces
Deeply fruit-driven, buoyant and complex. Blackberry, passionfruit, candied violet chocolate truffle and cedar in aroma and cup. Vibrant, juicy acidity; viscous, velvety mouthfeel. The finish is resonant and sweet, with blackberry, violet and chocolate truffle notes into the long.
Graceful, juicy and finely structured. Yellow nectarine, Meyer lemon, jasmine, young ginger and cocoa powder in aroma and cup. Bright, citrus-toned acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is long and articulate, with notes of yellow nectarine, jasmine and young ginger.
Ripe, rounded and sweetly fruit-driven. Blueberry, dried apricot, tangerine, lavender and baker’s chocolate in aroma and cup. Softly wine-toned acidity; full, velvety mouthfeel. The finish is sweet and persistent, with blueberry, lavender and baker’s chocolate.
Gracefully aromatic, bright and complexly layered. Apricot, pomelo, honeysuckle, white tea and cocoa powder in aroma and cup. Lively, citrus-toned acidity; light, silky mouthfeel. The finish is long and delicately aromatic, with apricot, honeysuckle and white tea notes front and center.
Intensely perfumed, vivid and complexly layered. Red currant, pink grapefruit, rose, vanilla bean and dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Bright, juicy acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is exceptionally aromatic and persistent, with notes of rose, red currant and dark chocolate.
Elegantly aromatic, juicy and sweetly floral. Blueberry, yellow peach, mandarin, wisteria and milk chocolate in aroma and cup. Bright, lively acidity; silky, buoyant mouthfeel. The finish is long and fragrant, leading with notes of yellow peach, wisteria and milk chocolate.
Sweetly aromatic, fruit-forward and gently floral. Blueberry, dried strawberry, apricot, lavender and milk chocolate in aroma and cup. Gently brisk acidity; full, velvety mouthfeel. The finish is sweet and lingering, with blueberry, apricot and milk chocolate tones.
Price: $47.50/10 ounces
Intensely aromatic, fruit-saturated and intricately floral. Dried raspberry, passionfruit, blood orange, gardenia and dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Vibrant, juicy acidity; syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is long and richly aromatic, with dried raspberry, gardenia and dark chocolate notes.
Price: NT $450/200 grams
Delicate, bright and quietly aromatic. Yellow peach, lemon zest, carnation, cocoa powder and almond in aroma and cup. Gently brisk acidity; light, silky mouthfeel. The finish is sweet and persistent, with yellow peach, cocoa powder and almond notes.
Price: NT $450/200 grams
Sweet, rounded and softly fruit-toned. Dried blueberry, red plum, milk chocolate, orange zest and brown sugar in aroma and cup. Soft, fruit-toned acidity; delicate, smooth mouthfeel. The quiet finish leads with notes of red plum, milk chocolate and brown sugar.
Radiantly aromatic, juicy and finely layered. Apricot, Meyer lemon, jasmine, bergamot and cocoa nib in aroma and cup. Vibrant, crystalline acidity; viscous, satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is exceptionally long and fragrant, with apricot, jasmine and cocoa nib resonating.
Elegantly aromatic, buoyant and nuanced. White peach, bergamot, jasmine, lemon verbena and cocoa nib in aroma and cup. Bright, crystalline acidity; silky-mooth, rounded mouthfeel. The finish is long and fragrant, with notes of white peach, jasmine and cocoa nib.
Ripe, rounded and berry-driven. Blueberry, black cherry, dried apricot, lavender and baking chocolate in aroma and cup.Gently brisk acidity; full, velvety-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is sweet and persistent, with black cherry, dried apricot and baking chocolate notes.
Price: NT $720/227 grams
Explosively aromatic, fruit-saturated and confectionary. Strawberry, passionfruit, blood orange, tea rose and vanilla fudge in aroma and cup. Vibrant, juicy acidity; plush, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is intensely rich and aromatic, with concentrated notes of strawberry, rose and vanilla fudge.
Price: NT $500/227 grams
Graceful, perfumed and intricately sweet. White peach, gardenia, bergamot, lemon verbena and strawberry honey in aroma and cup. Bright, finely structured acidity; silky, buoyant mouthfeel. The finish is long and aromatic, centered around white peach, gardenia and bergamot.
Rich-toned, juicy and deeply aromatic. Blueberry, ripe nectarine, passion fruit, honeysuckle and dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart acidity; syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is long and resonant, centering blueberry, honeysuckle and dark chocolate notes.
Distinctive, richly aromatic and intriguingly savory-sweet. Dried apricot, orange marmalade, beeswax, magnolia and smoked cocoa in aroma and cup. Briskly sweet acidity; full, velvety mouthfeel. The finish is uniquely composed, with dried apricot, beeswax and smoked cocoa notes persisting into the long.
Delicate, floral and crisply sweet. Honeysuckle, apricot, Meyer lemon, cocoa powder and white tea in aroma and cup. Bright, lively acidity, crisp, silky mouthfeel. The finish is fragrant and lingering, with honeysuckle, apricot and white tea notes.
Lush, fruit-forward and aromatically complex. Blueberry, black cherry, dried mango, lavender and baking chocolate in aroma and cup. Bright, gently wine-toned acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of bittersweet chocolate and black cherry.
