Many coffee enthusiasts prize Ethiopian specialty coffee for its high quality and unique flavour profile. In particular, those from the Yirgacheffe region have garnered a kind of celebrity status. Coffees grown within the Guji zone, just west of Yirgacheffe may be slightly less well-known but they have no less flavour potential. In the Woreda district of Hambela Wamena, the Benti Nenka washing station sits high above sea level, and sources freshly harvested heirloom variety cherries from nearby family-led farms.

Coffee processed by the Benti Nenka mill is grown on farms situated between 1,850 and 2,100 masl. Most smallholdings in this region are organic by default, as farmers in Guji typically use very few, if any, fertilisers or pesticides. Most of the labour is performed manually, with very few tasks being mechanised, even during the processing stages.

The Benti Nenka station specialises in natural and anaerobic processing methods which is still much less common for Ethiopian specialty coffees than the more traditional washed approach. This is the first Benti Nenka lot to be sourced and roasted by the talented team at Rosetta Roastery, and it is sure to excite any fan of African coffees.

Phaedon's tasting notes

This coffee is quite enjoyable but may not be what a seasoned Rosetta drinker might expect from an Ethiopian release. Because of its natural processing, it's not as delicate as its washed counterparts, but it still offers some of those delightful floral aromatics that Ethiopian coffee is known for. Accompanying those florals is a fairly big body with lots of sweetness which offers a bit more balance than your typical washed Yirgacheffe. I found that in an AeroPress, this coffee offered me a bit more bright acidity to balance out those heavier natural-processed notes.

Rosetta’s notes

Style: Progressive
Flavour: Floral aromas, peach jam, lychee, creamy finish

“Benti Nenka Natural is a high-density heirloom variety lot - roasted to highlight clarity, and complexity. Small in size but full of potential, the beans develop beautifully with a moderately high charge, ensuring heat to penetrate the centre of each bean evenly. A gentle approach after first crack allows the coffee’s layered sweetness to emerge while preserving its vibrant, perfumed aromatics. In the cup, expect peach jam, lychee, and citrus peel, complemented by a creamy, rounded finish.”

Coffee details from Rosetta

“Benti Nenka Natural comes from the Benti Nenka Coffee Processing Station in West Guji. Operating at 2107m ASL, the station sources cherries from around 500 smallholder farmers, with each producer managing 1.5 - 2 hectares of fertile farmland. Founded in 2017, Benti Nenka specialises in natural and anaerobic processing, carefully produced to highlight the region’s unique terroir.

"Operations are supported by traditional communal farming practices (known locally as DEBO and DADO), where farmers work together in rotation, fostering both collaboration and quality-focused production. These practices, combined with the high-altitude environment and rich clay soils, contribute to the coffee’s provenance-led, fruit-laden profile.”

• Altitude: 1950 - 2100m ASL
• Processing: Natural
• Variety: Heirloom varieties
• Harvest: 2025
• Region: Hambela Wamena, West Guji, Oromia,
• Country: Ethiopia
• Producer: Smallholder farmers of the Benti Nenka Coffee Washing Station