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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.

Click here to view Ethiopia coffee ratings and reviews

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.


92

Golin Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Birbisakela Washed G1

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: NT $500/200 grams

Delicately floral-toned. Wisteria, pear, maple syrup, almond, lime zest in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet with vibrant acidity; lightly satiny mouthfeel. Almond and pear notes lead the gentle, pleasing finish.

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93

Golin Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Sidamo Bensa Washed G1

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: NT $450/200 grams

Richly fruit-driven, invitingly aromatic. Lychee, violet, cocoa nib, thyme, agave syrup in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with bittersweet acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The finish centers around notes of lychee and thyme with cocoa undertones.

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95

SOT Coffee Roaster

Ethiopia Guji Uraga Tobutu Tuta G1 Experimental LOT 181NA2021

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: $12.50/100 grams
SOT Coffee Logo

Delicately fruity, crisply high-toned. Wild strawberry, cocoa nib, lychee, bergamot, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with gently bright acidity; satiny, viscous mouthfeel. The crisp, cocoa-driven finish is supported by hints of strawberry.

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93

Bassline Coffee

Ethiopia Bekele Heto Natural

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: $8.40/4 ounces

Berry-driven, invitingly sweet-tart. Dried mulberry, cocoa nib, pink grapefruit zest, tea rose, fresh-cut oak in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with brisk acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The long, lingering finish consolidates to notes of cocoa-toned mulberry and oak.

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93

Swelter Coffee

Birhanu Sisters’ Ethiopia

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: $18.00/12 ounces

Cocoa-toned, juicy and vibrant. Cocoa nib, bergamot, red plum, jasmine, cedar in aroma and cup. Balanced, sweet-toned structure with malic, apple-like acidity; dry, crisp mouthfeel. The cocoa toned finish is complicated by red plum and cedar.

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92

Sightseer Coffee

Bat Country Dark Roast Ethiopia

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: $20.00/12 ounces

Crisply chocolaty, floral-toned. Baking chocolate, honeysuckle, dried persimmon, almond nougat, fresh-cut oak in aroma and cup. Richly sweet structure with gentle, round acidity; plush, buttery mouthfeel. Chocolaty and floral finish with undertones of almond.

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93

Taster's Coffee

Ethiopia Bench Maji Geisha G1 Natural

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: NT $520/227 grams

Gently sweet-tart, floral-toned. Pomegranate, lilac, pistachio, orange zest, fresh-cut oak in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet-tart structure with delicately bright acidity; silky-smooth mouthfeel. The tart-leaning finish leads with notes of pomegranate and orange zest, supported by oak and pistachio.

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95

GK Coffee

Ethiopia Guji Uraga More Floral Kudume Washed

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: NT $550/200 grams
GK Coffee (Taiwan) - Logo

Resonantly juicy, richly sweet-tart. Black currant, lavender, dark chocolate, Meyer lemon zest, fine musk in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with vibrant, lively acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish is long, deep, rich, and crisply sweet.

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94

GK Coffee

Ethiopia Guji Uraga More Floral Kudume Natural

Review Date: Oct 2022
Price: NT $550/200 grams
GK Coffee (Taiwan) - Logo

Richly bittersweet, complex, fruit-driven. Chocolate fudge, dried apricot, candied mandarin zest, pistachio brittle, narcissus in aroma and cup. Invitingly bittersweet structure with high-toned, lively acidity; crisp, satiny mouthfeel. The finish centers around notes of chocolate fudge and dried apricot, with undertones of bittersweet mandarin zest into the long.

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94

Branch Street Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Gera Reserve Anaerobic Natural

Review Date: Sep 2022
Price: $19.50/10 ounces

Sweetly tart, floral-toned. Tea rose, raspberry coulis, cocoa nib, watermelon rind, almond brittle in aroma and cup. High-toned structure with winey acidity; crisply satiny mouthfeel. Exceptionally long, harmonious finish that exhilaratingly extends the promise of the cup.

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95

Temple Coffee

Ethiopia Nano Genji

Review Date: Sep 2022
Price: $25.50/12 ounces
Temple Coffee Roasters

Elegantly bright, delicately juicy, richly aromatic. Cocoa nib, ginger flower, apricot, pink grapefruit zest, hint of thyme in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with juicy acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Resonant, long, flavor-saturated finish.

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95

Kakalove Cafe

Ethiopia Natural Sidama Abebe 74110

Review Date: Sep 2022
Price: NT $300/4 ounces
KakaLove Logo

Fruit-centered, richly chocolaty. Dried mango, dark chocolate, Calla lily, sandalwood, hazelnut brittle in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart with bright, balanced acidity; syrupy, viscous mouthfeel. The confident finish is long and flavor-laden.

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95

Kakalove Cafe

Ethiopia Natural Guji TAMIRU 74158 Kakalove Lot

Review Date: Sep 2022
Price: NT $350/4 ounces
KakaLove Logo

Enticingly sweet, deeply floral-toned. Lilac, cocoa nib, pomelo, amber, almond nougat in aroma and cup. Gently tart in structure with juicy, vibrant acidity; very satiny, smooth mouthfeel. Rich finish that harmoniously sustains all of the aromatics.

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95

GK Coffee

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe G1 Idido Natural

Review Date: Sep 2022
Price: NT $550/200 grams
GK Coffee (Taiwan) - Logo

Elegantly fruit-driven, cocoa-toned. Gogi berry, red plum, cocoa nib, star jasmine, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Brightly sweet structure with very juicy acidity; plush, satiny mouthfeel. Resonant, long, lingering finish.

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93

Muka Coffee

Ethiopia Washed Botabaa G1 Lot.22/01

Review Date: Sep 2022
Price: NT $275/200 grams

Sweetly floral, richly aromatic. Magnolia, raspberry, cocoa nib, lemon-thyme, agave syrup in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with bright, juicy acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The finish leads with notes of magnolia and raspberry with distinct undertones of cocoa nib.

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94

Yellow Brick Coffee

Ethiopia Kayon Mountain

Review Date: Sep 2022
Price: $20.00/12 ounces

Richly sweet-tart, high-toned. Apricot nectar, almond nougat, jasmine, cedar, cocoa nib in aroma and cup. Richly sweet-tart structure with juicy-bright acidity; very syrupy, vibrant mouthfeel. Cocoa-toned finish with undertones of apricot and cedar.

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95

Red Rooster Coffee Roaster

Ethiopia Worka Sakaro

Review Date: Aug 2022
Price: $22.00/12 ounces

Sweetly tart, fruit-driven, chocolaty. Berry melange, dark chocolate, freesia-like flowers, cedar, pink peppercorn in aroma and cup. Brightly sweet with vibrant, high-toned acidity; lively, syrupy mouthfeel. Long, lingering, flavor-saturated finish, juicy and bright.

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93

Jaunt Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Guji Hambela Dabaye

Review Date: Aug 2022
Price: $22.00/12 ounces

Delicately aromatic, richly sweet. Narcissus, honey, apricot, almond, Meyer lemon zest in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with gently bright, floral acidity; smooth, silky mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of honey and almond with undertones of narcissus.

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93

Buon Caffe

Ethiopia Guji Hambela Buku Saysa Natural Process

Review Date: Aug 2022
Price: NT $429/8 ounces

Delicately fruit-toned, gently tart. Dark chocolate, strawberry, jasmine, cedar, pink grapefruit zest in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with juicy acidity; crisp, satiny mouthfeel. Chocolaty, fruit-toned finish, with undertones of cedar.

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95

Per’la Specialty Roasters

Ethiopia Durato Bombe

Review Date: Aug 2022
Price: $24.00/12 ounces

Massively floral, juicy, cocoa-toned. Distinct cocoa, honeysuckle, tangerine, caramel, cashew in aroma and cup. Deeply sweet, savory-edged in structure, with deep, vibrant acidity. Full, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish is sweet and rich, carrying most notes from the cup far into the long.

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