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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

Taster's Coffee

Ethiopia Bench Maji Gesha Village Dimma Illubabor Forest A6 Natural

Review Date: Jan 2022
Price: NT $475/113 grams

Gently fruit-toned, lyrically sweet. Nectarine, cherry blossom, almond butter, oregano, honey in aroma and cup. Richly sweet with high-toned acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Integrated finish that retains all the notes from the aroma and cup.

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93

Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Guji Goro Bedessa

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

Rich-toned, crisply sweet. Apricot, honeysuckle, cocoa nib, fresh-cut oak, maple syrup in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with bright, juicy acidity; lightly satiny mouthfeel. Cocoa-driven finish with undertones of maple syrup.

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93

GK Coffee

Ethiopia Guji Hambela G1 Kudume Wolicho Honey

Review Date: Jan 2022
Price: NT $650/200 grams
GK Coffee (Taiwan) - Logo

Fruit-forward, richly sweet-tart. Blackberry jam, brown sugar, cocoa nib, fresh-cut oak, jasmine in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with lively acidity; crisp, satiny mouthfeel. Fruit-toned finish with undertones of brown sugar and oak.

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94

Corvus Coffee Roasters

Gelena Geisha

Review Date: Jan 2022
Price: $19.00/12 ounces

Deeply sweet, slightly fermenty. Dark chocolate, orange zest, whiskey barrel, almond butter, magnolia in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure with round acidity; viscous, buoyant mouthfeel. Long, flavor-saturated, balanced finish.

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94

modcup coffee

Ethiopia Anaerobic Natural

Review Date: Jan 2022
Price: $25.00/8 ounces

Deep-toned, sweetly savory. Concord grape, hop flowers, grapefruit extract, dark chocolate, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Savory-leaning structure with vibrant acidity; buttery mouthfeel. The finish centers around notes of Concord grape and sandalwood, supported by dark chocolate.

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95

GK Coffee

Ethiopia Tamiru Tadesse Tesema Anaerobic Natural

Review Date: Jan 2022
Price: NA (available in store only)
GK Coffee (Taiwan) - Logo

Intensely aromatic, richly sweet-savory, deeply floral. Concord grape, lilac, dark chocolate, shiitake mushroom, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with juicy-bright acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Resonant, long, flavor-laden finish.

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93

GK Coffee

Ethiopia Guji Washed G1 Uncle Select Lot 21/01

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

Crisply sweet, floral-toned. Jasmine, cocoa nib, apricot, oak, thyme in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with bright acidity. Silky-smooth mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of cocoa-toned jasmine.

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96

Simon Hsieh Aroma Roast Coffees

Ethiopia Aphrodite Washed Espresso

Review Date: Jan 2022
Price: NT $850/8 ounces

Evaluated as espresso. Aromatic orchid, dark chocolate, black cherry, gently scorched sandalwood, tarragon in aroma and small cup. Creamy-smooth mouthfeel; resonant, complex, long finish. In three parts milk, floral and fruit tones harmonize with dark chocolate for a particularly complex cappuccino.

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92

Old World Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Banko Gotiti Daniel Mijane

Review Date: Jan 2022
Price: $19.00/12 ounces

Sweetly herbaceous, citrus-toned. Thyme, lemon balm, cocoa nib, freesia-like flowers, maple syrup in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with balanced acidity; satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The finish leads with sweet herb notes supported by cocoa nib.

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93

Old World Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Bedhatu Natural

Review Date: Jan 2022
Price: $20.50/12 ounces

Delicately sweet-tart. Berry melange, pink peppercorn, honeysuckle, baker’s chocolate, lemon verbena in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with crisp acidity; satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The herb-toned finish leads with notes of lemon verbena and red berries supported by baking chocolate.

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92

Old World Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Bedhatu Washed

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

Balanced; richly bittersweet. Tangerine zest, cocoa nib, date, magnolia, cedar in aroma and cup. Delicately sweet structure with gentle acidity; smooth, silky mouthfeel. Cocoa- and citrus-toned finish.

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95

Paradise Roasters

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Worka Sakaro

Review Date: Dec 2021
Price: $25.00/12 ounces

Bright, juicy, citrusy. Star Jasmine, tangerine zest, cocoa nib, almond, hint of spearmint in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with nimble acidity; very smooth, satiny mouthfeel. Floral-toned finish supported by notes of tangerine zest and almond.

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90

Mute Roaster

Ethiopia Hambela Tetsu Process

Review Date: Dec 2021
Price: HKD $208/120 grams

Crisply, quietly sweet-savory. Pear, Brazil nut, fir, brown sugar, carnation in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with brisk acidity; velvety mouthfeel. Gently drying, nut-toned finish.

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93

Collage Coffee

Ethiopia Nano Genji #5

Review Date: Dec 2021
Price: $16.00/10 ounces

Richly floral-toned, deeply sweet. Narcissus, Meyer lemon zest, cocoa nib, marjoram, maple syrup in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with juicy, bright acidity; syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. Balanced floral, citrusy finish.

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93

States Coffee

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Aramo

Review Date: Dec 2021
Price: $12.00/8 ounces

Bright with spice-toned florals. Star jasmine, cocoa nib, grapefruit zest, agave syrup, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with bright, juicy acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. The satisfying finish leads with notes of star jasmine and pink grapefruit zest in the short, rounding to crisp cocoa in the long.

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93

States Coffee

Subrosa Ethiopia Kayon Mountain Organic Natural

Review Date: Dec 2021
Price: $12.00/8 ounces

Gently sweet-tart, cocoa-toned. Cocoa nib, orange, narcissus, mango, cedar in aroma and cup. Intricately sweet, bright, with brisk acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The quietly sweet finish consolidates to cocoa-toned mango and cedar.

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94

VERYTIME

Ethiopia Bench Maji Natural Gesha

Review Date: Dec 2021
Price: NT $550/8 ounces

Rich, intensely sweet, floral-toned. Lilac, tangerine, cocoa nib, apricot, myrrh in aroma and cup. Lively, sweet-tart structure with bright acidity; plush, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around juicy citrus and lilac tones, grounded by cocoa nib.

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96

Red Rooster Coffee Roaster

Ethiopia Demeka Becha

Review Date: Dec 2021
Price: $21.99/12 ounces

Richly sweet, delicately tart, very complex. Bergamot, star jasmine, pluot, cocoa nib, marjoram in aroma and cup. Brightly sweet structure with juicy acidity; crisp, syrupy mouthfeel. Resonant, long, lingering finish.

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94

Kakalove Cafe

Ethiopia Washed Sidama Bensa Bombe

Review Date: Dec 2021
Price: NT $375/8 ounces
KakaLove Logo

Delicately sweet-tart, rich-toned. Dried apricot, dark chocolate, cashew butter, plumeria, pink grapefruit zest in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with tart, juicy acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The chocolaty finish centers around notes of plumeria and pink grapefruit zest.

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92

Jaunt Coffee Roasters

Ethiopia Bedessa

Review Date: Nov 2021
Price: $25.00/12 ounces

Delicately sweet-tart. Cocoa nib, green plum, hazelnut, lavender, fresh-cut fir in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet structure with bright, citrusy acidity; velvety mouthfeel. Gently drying finish with notes of hazelnut and fresh-cut fir.

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