Ethiopia is believed to be the birthplace of coffee, in its wild form, and has also been involved in its cultivation for several centuries. Today, the country is known as one of the African continent’s key producers and has a particularly strong reputation in the specialty coffee space. Ethiopia’s Yirgacheffe region, in the south of the country, is particularly celebrated for the quality of its specialty coffees which often demonstrate delicate bodies, floral aromatics, and bright fruity flavours.

This particular lot comes from the Koke Shalaye station which you can read more about in Origin’s notes below. This is only the second time that we have enjoyed a coffee from this particular washing station, but Origin’s Supernatural lot from Koke Shalaye was definitely a highlight last year.

Unlike many other washing stations in Yirgacheffe, and Ethiopia more broadly, Koke Shalaye employs quite a few experimental processing methods. Typically, Ethiopian coffees are processed in the ‘wet’ or ‘washed’ fashion which involves only a brief fermentation in water tanks to help remove the coffee bean (seed) from the fruit. This is handled by washing stations because most Ethiopian farmers do not have the scale or infrastructure for processing their own coffees. Centralisation helps with quality control as well as sorting, grading, and distribution.

This lot was processed as a natural anaerobic, still relatively unusual for Ethiopia but increasingly popular in specialty coffee, which means that the cherries underwent a controlled fermentation in an oxygen-deprived environment. This type of approach would be expected to result in a coffee with the body and sweetness of a natural, but also the interesting flavour characteristics that sometimes result from these types of special and extended fermentations.

Origin’s notes

“This lot was processed with the natural anaerobic method, which contributes to its complex and expressive flavour profile. Tasting notes include citrus, dark chocolate, and tropical watermelon finish.”

• Flavour: Blueberry, citrus, dark chocolate, cedar amber, green tea, watermelon slushy
• Body: Syrupy
• Acidity: Berries
• Roast: Light-medium
• Suggested brewing methods: V60, espresso, piccolo

Coffee details from Origin

“Koke Shalaye is a Grade 1 Arabica coffee processed at the Koke Shalaye washing station in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia. The coffee is grown at elevations around 1,973 metres above sea level. It is produced by 1890 smallholder farmers cultivating heirloom varieties such as JARC 74110, 74112, and 74165. The coffee is processed using various methods, including natural, washed, honey, anaerobic, and carbonic maceration techniques. 

“The Koke Shalaye washing station is located in the Koke kebele of the Gedeb district in the Gedeo Zone of southern Ethiopia. The region is known for its fertile volcanic soils and high altitudes, providing ideal conditions for coffee cultivation. The station processes cherries from a community of over 1890 smallholder farmers, who typically cultivate coffee on small garden plots. The area is renowned for producing expressive and complex coffees, with the Fetay River running through the region, contributing to the area's unique terroir.”

• Region: Koke, Gedeo zone, Yirgacheffe
• Country: Ethiopia
• Altitude: 1973 masl
• Varieties: Ethiopia heirloom
• Processing: Natural anaerobic
• Owner: 1890 smallholder farmers, processed at the Koke Shalaye station