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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.


95

Kakalove Cafe

Ethiopia Natural Shakisso Mormora 74112

Review Date: Jun 2022
Price: NT $325/8 ounces
KakaLove Logo

Gently fruit-forward, sweetly savory. Dark chocolate, raspberry coulis, star jasmine, cedar, tangerine zest. Sweet-savory structure with fruity-bright acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Chocolaty and fruit-driven in the finish, with support from notes of bittersweet citrus.

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95

Kakalove Cafe

Ethiopia Washed Shakisso Mormora 74112

Review Date: Jun 2022
Price: NT $325/8 ounces
KakaLove Logo

Delicate, richly floral-toned. Lavender, blood orange, cocoa nib, almond butter, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Balanced structure with fine, floral-toned acidity; silky-smooth, vibrant mouthfeel. The long, sweet finish centers around notes of cocoa nib, lavender and blood orange.

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93

Rusty Dog Coffee

Ethiopia Keramo Natural

Review Date: Jun 2022
Price: $17.75/12 ounces

Richly aromatic, deeply fruit-toned. Raspberry jam, almond nougat, lemon balm, cocoa nib, cedar in aroma and cup. Gently tart structure with pert acidity; plush, satiny mouthfeel. Crisp, fruity, cocoa-toned finish.

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93

Modern Times Coffee

Ethiopia Guracho Natural

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

Evaluated as espresso. Delicately berry-toned, richly sweet. Blackberry coulis, cocoa nib, agave syrup, fresh-cut cedar, macadamia nut in aroma and small cup. Silky, viscous mouthfeel; the finish leads with notes of agave syrup and macadamia nut. Especially pretty in cappuccino format, where berry and cocoa notes balance rich aromatic cedar.

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95

Simon Hsieh Aroma Roast Coffees

Chasing Horizon Natural Espresso

Review Date: Jun 2022
Price: NT $800/8 ounces
Simon Hsieh Aroma Roast Coffees Logo

Evaluated as espresso. Decadently floral-toned with fruit underpinnings. Plumeria, black cherry, chocolate fudge, dark caramel, singed cedar in aroma and small cup. Creamy-smooth mouthfeel; crisply chocolaty, distinctly floral finish.

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95

Barrington Coffee Roasting

Supernatural

Review Date: Jun 2022
Price: $18.45/12 ounces

Evaluated as espresso. Complex, richly tart, sweetly herbaceous. Watermelon candy, sassafras, star jasmine, dark chocolate, hint of eucalyptus in aroma and small cup. Viscous, syrupy mouthfeel; crisp, sweetly herbal finish. In cappuccino format, balanced, bright, deep, juicy and chocolaty.

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95

Felala Coffee Lab

Ethiopia Alemaza Natural SOE

Review Date: Jun 2022
Price: NT $360/8 ounces

Evaluated as espresso. Juicy, richly aromatic, sweetly tart. Dark chocolate, pomegranate, sandalwood, lilac, blood orange zest in aroma and small cup. Syrupy-smooth mouthfeel; long, flavor-saturated finish. High-toned and chocolaty in three parts milk, supported by elegant floral and rich aromatic wood notes.

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92

1980 CAFE

Ruby Sweet Lychee

Review Date: Jun 2022
Price: NT $450/227 grams

Fruit-toned, delicately floral. Magnolia, plum, almond, cedar, cane sugar in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet structure with brisk acidity; silky mouthfeel. Wood-framed finish with undertones of almond and cane sugar.

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90

1980 CAFE

Fruits Island

Review Date: Jun 2022
Price: NT $450/227 grams

Gently sweet-tart. Pomegranate, orange zest, agave syrup, fir, lily in aroma and cup. Tart structure with brisk acidity; velvety mouthfeel. Gently drying, wood-framed finish.

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94

Quartet Kaffe

Ethiopia Dawencho 74110 Natural Espresso

Review Date: May 2022
Price: NT $620/100 grams

Evaluated as espresso. Sweetly tart, juicy, bright. Green apple, sandalwood, dark chocolate, almond brittle, pink grapefruit zest in aroma and small cup. Syrupy, viscous mouthfeel; crisply fruit-toned finish. Elegant and deep in three parts milk, with fruit, dark chocolate and aromatic wood in harmony.

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94

VERYTIME

Ethiopia Guji Shakiso G1 Honey

Review Date: May 2022
Price: NT $400/8 ounces

Fruit-toned, deeply floral. Raspberry, wisteria, honey, pink peppercorn, dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with crisp, juicy acidity; full, satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The finish is driven by notes of raspberry and dark chocolate.

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95

Ramshead Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Odola Washed

Review Date: May 2022
Price: $18.95/12 ounces

Gently fruit-forward, elegantly floral. Wild raspberry, cocoa nib, star jasmine, cashew butter, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with delicately juicy acidity; very full, satiny mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of cocoa-toned raspberry.

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95

Ramshead Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Belayneh Bariso Natural

Review Date: May 2022
Price: $19.50/12 ounces

Elegantly fruit-toned, juicy and bright. Lychee, cocoa nib, freesia, cedar, almond brittle in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with high-toned acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Resonant, long, flavor-saturated finish.

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94

Cozy House Coffee

Ethiopia Guji Uraga Tebe Burku Natural

Review Date: Apr 2022
Price: NT $350/227 grams

Deeply sweet, fruit-toned, lively. Black cherry, dark chocolate, marshmallow, macadamia nut, pink grapefruit zest in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with bright, juicy acidity; full, creamy-smooth mouthfeel. The cleanly fruit-toned finish is supported by notes of macadamia nut and dark chocolate.

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93

Cozy House Coffee

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Konga Natural

Review Date: Apr 2022
Price: NT $350/227 grams

Deeply sweet-savory. Blackberry, hop flowers, sandalwood, cocoa nib, a hint of lemon verbena in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with gentle, round acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Cocoa-toned sandalwood and blackberry notes characterize the resonant finish.

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94

Cozy House Coffee

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Hama Washed

Review Date: Apr 2022
Price: NT $350/227 grams

Complex, multi-layered, deeply sweet-tart. Lilac, cocoa nib, peach, amber, pistachio in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with bright, juicy acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant, flavor-saturated finish leads with notes of lilac and peach, balanced by suggestions of crisp cocoa.

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94

Merge Coffee Company

Ethiopia Guji Odo Shakiso

Review Date: Apr 2022
Price: $17.99/ 12 ounces

Gently sweet-tart, complexly layered. Dried blackberry, honeysuckle, hazelnut butter, cocoa nib, a hint of wine barrel in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with winey acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to notes of hazelnut butter and cocoa nib with undertones of blackberry.

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95

Jaunt Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Sidamo Karamo

Review Date: Apr 2022
Price: $26.00/12 ounces

Delicate, vibrantly floral, citrusy. Bergamot, wisteria, almond brittle, thyme, cane sugar in aroma and cup. Bright, balanced structure with elegantly juicy acidity; buoyant, silky mouthfeel. Flavor-saturated, very long finish.

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94

JBC Coffee Roasters

Gigesa Ethiopia

Review Date: Apr 2022
Price: $19.00/12 ounces
JBC Coffee Roasters Logo

Complex, multi-layered, deeply sweet. Dark chocolate, date, butterscotch, ginger blossom, marjoram in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with high-toned acidity; syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around notes of date and dark chocolate.

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93

Jaunt Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Guji Buku

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

Confidently fruit-forward, sweetly tart. Pomegranate, cherry blossom, Nutella, cedar, spearmint in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet in structure with gently bright acidity; silky mouthfeel. Nut-toned, chocolaty finish.

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