Ethiopia is believed to be the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and today it produces some of the world's most sought-after specialty lots. While the exact origins of how coffee came to be a beverage remain a mystery, historical evidence shows that Ethiopians have cultivated and enjoyed it for centuries. Wild Arabica trees naturally developed in the East African nation's southwestern Kaffa Highlands. From there, they were taken to Yemen, where the beverage grew in popularity before spreading throughout the Middle East and Europe. Today, coffee is still enjoyed in daily rituals by millions of Ethiopians; as such, the nation consumes nearly half of its own harvested beans.

This specialty Ethiopian coffee was medium-roasted by Origin and comes from a naturally processed microlot. It was produced at the Aricha Wubanchi washing station, which sits at an altitude of over 1,900 metres above sea level in the famed coffee-growing region of Yirgacheffe. The station processes cherries delivered by local smallholder farmers who typically cultivate heirloom JARC (Jimma Agricultural Research Centre) varieties. These distinct sub-varieties are selection cultivars that stem directly from Ethiopia's wild, indigenous coffee trees. This unique genetic lineage translates into a complex and refined cup profile.

Origin's notes

"Aricha Wubanchi is a specialty coffee produced by approximately 1,700 smallholder farmers in Aricha, within the Gedeo Zone of Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia. The coffee is processed at the Aricha Wubanchi Washing Station, where carefully selected ripe cherries are dried whole using the natural process. The farmers typically cultivate coffee on small plots around their homes, a traditional approach known as "garden coffee".

"This natural processing method allows the coffee to retain more of the fruit during drying, developing a cup with pronounced sweetness, vibrant fruit character, and complexity."

• Flavours: Dried cherry, melon, milk chocolate, peach, tangerine, jasmine, & earl grey
• Body: Syrupy
• Acidity: Delicate
• Roast: Medium
• Brewing: AeroPress, Chemex, siphon, plunger, espresso & milk-based

Coffee details from Origin

"Aricha is located in Yirgacheffe, within Ethiopia's Gedeo Zone, a region renowned for producing some of the country's most distinctive coffees. The area benefits from high elevations, fertile soils, plentiful rainfall, and a long-standing tradition of smallholder coffee cultivation.

"The Aricha Wubanchi Washing Station sits at approximately 2,213 metres above sea level and is supplied by the nearby Resitay River. These high-altitude conditions and the region's unique coffee-growing culture contribute to the floral, fruit-driven character for which Yirgacheffe coffees are celebrated."

• Country: Ethiopia
• Region: Gedeo zone, Yirgacheffe
• Altitude: 1,950 - 2,050m ASL
• Varieties: Heirloom
• Processing: Natural
• Producer: 1,700 smallholder farmers
• Washing station: Aricha Wubanchi