This November marks 13 years since we dispatched our very first bag of beans. We’re celebrating with an all-Ethiopian Birthday Blend, created by our friends at Rosetta Roastery, who have been part of our story for 12 of those years.

In past years, we’ve marked the occasion with tailored anniversary blends created alongside close friends in the industry, first with Cedar, and later with Quaffee. This year, Rosetta has brought together three Ethiopian coffees, each with a different processing method, to create something outside its usual single-origin offering.

Buy a bag for yourself (and one for a friend) and join us in raising a cup to celebrate. Thank you for making these last 13 years possible. We’re glad to share this coffee with you.

Phaedon’s notes

We weren’t sure if our friends at Rosetta would jump at the chance to create a Birthday Blend. After all, they’re known for offering only single-origin coffees. We were thrilled when they accepted the challenge, understanding that our goal here was not to create another run-of-the-mill espresso blend, but something truly specialty.

Tim and I arrived at Rosetta’s headquarters in Osborne Road, ready to taste all the possible components and combinations, but the blend that we chose for our birthday had already been concocted by the very talented Shannen, manager of Rosetta’s roastery. We can’t take any credit; the concept, the combination, and the incredible flavour profile, not to mention that roast profile, are all Shannen’s. Once we tasted it, we knew we weren’t going to come up with anything better than this.

For me personally, there is a lot of symbolism in this blend. Some of my best early coffee memories are of enjoying pour-overs of Ethiopian coffees at Rosetta’s original location at the Woodstock Exchange. I learned a lot about coffee there in the early years of Cape Coffee Beans, and have nothing but fond memories of the days when Rob and Jono were behind the bar, as were Ollie and Prince, soon to be followed by Shannen and Leigh. Those were special times, and it feels appropriate to celebrate our partnership with Rosetta with a coffee that pays homage to all the delicious Ethiopian releases my friends there have sourced and roasted over the last decade plus.

I continue to be proud to work with Rosetta Roastery. Creating a world-class specialty coffee business that takes quality so seriously is already an impressive feat. To have maintained and even built on those standards over such a long period of time is truly impressive.

Phaedon’s tasting notes

By combining three different Ethiopian coffees with three different processing methods, in just the right proportions, I think Shannen was successful in creating the perfect gustatory celebration of Ethiopian coffee. The classic Ethiopian notes are there: tea-like florals, subtle citric acidity, and clarity. They are complemented by the fruit-forward body and sweetness of the more contemporary lots, with a hint of the effervescence and texture of the anaerobic component. I’m going to be drinking this every week for as long as it lasts. I hope you’ll join me.

Rosetta CCB 13th Birthday Blend components

The collaborative Cape Coffee Beans 13th Birthday Blend brings together three of Rosetta’s Ethiopian single-origin coffees in the following proportions:

Roast degree: Light

• 60% Lalesa Washed
• 30% Halo Natural
• 10% Bombe Anaerobic Natural