Ethiopia is believed to be the birthplace of coffee, and the top lots from the country are prized the world over. Ethiopia also has many distinct regions with recognisable names and particular characteristics. These include Yirgacheffe, Guji, and Sidamo, to name a few. Historically, another regional name we would have come across would be Limu, though interestingly that is not an official Ethiopian appellation (as our friends from Quaffee explain below). Nevertheless, we have fond memories of many delicious Limu lots, including many from our friends at Quaffee.

While Limu may not be a true growing region, many of the coffees identified as Limu hail from the Jimma zone, where this coffee comes from, so while this might be a less recognised name, there's a good chance you've tasted coffees from Jimma before. While these coffees will have some similarities to other Ethiopian coffees you may have tried, they also will have their own unique characteristics.

Phaedon's tasting notes

While this coffee is fairly subtle and understated, after a few brews I came to realise that it was actually very complex. While the flavours are not loud, they are distinct and thoroughly enjoyable. The backdrop of all my cups was the floral quality of this coffee. It's almost tea-like with an accompanying hint of tannin.

The fruit flavours in the cup range from peach to tropical, as well as citrus (citrus rind specifically, to my palate). They tend to show up in the aftertaste more than the first sip, where the tea-like qualities dominate. I was quite intrigued by how different this coffee tasted in different brew methods and particularly enjoyed it in my AeroPress, French press, siphon, and Moccamaster. It seems to favour immersion, but the long draw-down time of the batch brew seemed to have a similar effect.

Quaffee's notes

Kennisa is one of our favourite Ethiopian coffees this year. It has a surprising flavour profile that reflects the terroir, the varietals, and the care of its producers. We are grateful to all the farmers who made this coffee possible. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

• Taste Profile:  A floral and sweet coffee with a fruity after-taste
• Roast Used: Intense heat at the start of the roast. Followed by a decreasing ramp rate, with a kick ramp rate to finish the roast, dropping 45 seconds into the first crack
• Quaffee brews:
• Espresso: 1:2.5 (27 sec)
• AeroPress: 17g:200g
• Plunger: 52g:800g
• Pour over/filter: 20g:300g

Coffee details from Quaffee

We have been sourcing coffee from Limu for most of the last 16 years, but it’s been a while since we had one on offer. The Limu zone is in fact not an official zone in Ethiopia. The politically defined zone is named Jimma. Limu, on the other hand, is a typical coffee flavour found in Jimma and its neighbouring zone, Illubabor.

The coffee in Jimma grows at high altitudes, from 1400 to 2100 m.a.s.l., and comes from native varietals that have a variety of flavours. Essentially, Jimma coffee is often sold as Limu so that it will attract the specialty grade premium. Now we are seeing more coffees proud enough to say they are from Jimma.

• Producer: Falcon
  
• Farm: Kennisa Cooperative
• Farmers: 305 smallholding farmers
• Region: Gomma district of Jimma zone
• Country: Ethiopia
• Altitude: 2000-2100 masl
• Processing: Fully-washed and sun-dried on raised beds
• Species/Variety: Various heirlooms
• Packaging: Hessian with Grain Pro inside

Quaffee's transparency information

• FOB Price: $11.35/kh
• Cupping score: 87.75 (Falcon / And Sons)
• Producer/Organisation: Falcon
• Lot size bought: 1 x 60kg
• Relationship: Our first coffee we have offered from Jimma