Hambela Highlands Heirloom, Ethiopia

Origin Story This smallholder-grown natural comes from Ethiopia’s Guji Zone, a remote and heavily forested stretch of the Oromia region long protected by the Guji people’s efforts to preserve its old-growth canopy. About 500 outgrowers, each farming just one to two hectares, deliver cherry to Benti Nenka, on the edge of the Hambela district bordering southern Yirgacheffe.

Processing & Growth Grown at 2,200 meters (about 7,200 feet), the cherries are hand-sorted for ripeness, fermented in cold water for 24 hours, then moved straight to raised beds to dry in the sun — a slow process that takes 27 to 30 days depending on the weather.

Flavor Profile Sweet like fresh jam, this cup is layered with blueberry and dark chocolate, carried by a perfumed, floral aroma that lingers from the first sniff of the grounds through the last sip. Naturally sweet and deeply fragrant, it’s a vivid, classic expression of Guji Zone coffee.

Source Details

• Region: Benti Nenka, Hambela, Guji Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia
• Elevation: 2,200 masl (~7,200 ft)
• Varietal: Heirloom cultivars
• Process: Natural, cold-water fermented, 27–30 day sun dry