Long before it was ever harvested or brewed, coffee grew wild in the misty forest valleys of southern Ethiopia. Today, thousands of indigenous arabica landraces still flourish under the shaded canopy of the Great Rift Valley. In the Sidama highlands, where nearly 90% of the population relies on agriculture, generations of smallholders have cultivated heirloom varieties on traditional garden plots. It is this deep-rooted relationship, and complex flavour profile, that makes Ethiopian coffee so highly prized - not just by home enthusiasts, but by top competitors on the global stage.

In the past, we’ve had the privilege of featuring Quaffee’s limited reserve lots. Now, we are thrilled to present the first of four extra-special coffees chosen to celebrate 20 years of thoughtfully sourced and carefully roasted beans. Since 2006, Quaffee has roasted beans with the understanding that coffee is an agricultural product first: shaped by farming, processing, pricing, and relationships long before it is ever roasted or enjoyed. This philosophy reinforces our Constantia-based friends' belief that exceptional quality relies on a delicate chain of responsibilities, starting with the dedicated, often unseen work of farmers and producers.

This limited reserve Ethiopian coffee was co-sourced with Cedar and comes directly from Tamiru Tadesse’s Alo Coffee network in Bensa. Composed of the single-cultivar JARC 74158, this lot was grown between 2,400–2,550 metres above sea level and naturally processed at the Dume washing station. Located near Muraga Village, Dume is one of Alo’s newest additions and specialises in controlled natural fermentations. Established in 2025, Dume, which means “red” in the native Sidaamu Afoo language, was named to represent the region's rich red soil and the color of perfectly ripe coffee cherries.

To mark the first of four releases celebrating its 20th anniversary, Quaffee has secured a small quantity of this special Alo lot. Due to its limited nature, this coffee will only be roasted on Tuesday, 22 September 2026.

Quaffee’s notes

“In the cup, this coffee delivers a vivid fruit profile. We found lime, melon, apricot and blueberry up front, followed by caramelised brown sugar sweetness and a finish of vanilla. The result is a coffee with bright acidity, layered fruit notes and a juicy, expressive character.

“For filter brewing, use the coffee as fresh as possible to experience its full fruit expression. For espresso, allow approximately four days after roasting before brewing. This provides time for the coffee to settle while preserving its vibrant fruit character.”

• Taste profile: Lime, melon, apricot, blueberry & caramelised brown sugar with a finish of vanilla
• Roast used: Gentle ramp through the roast, with an accelerated development through medium flame control
• Roast degree: Light
• Quaffee brews:
  • Espresso: 1:2.3 (29 sec)
  • AeroPress: 17.5g:200g (coarser)
  • Plunger: 48g:800g
  • Pour-over/filter: 18g:300g (50 sec bloom, 3.3 minutes total brewing time)

Coffee details from Quaffee

“This coffee comes through the Alo Coffee network led by producer Tamiru Tadesse in Sidama. Alo Coffee operates several processing stations across Bensa, Bona and neighbouring areas, working closely with local smallholder farmers to separate and showcase exceptional lots from specific communities.

“The Dume Shade lot comes from exceptionally high elevations between approximately 2,400 and 2,550 metres above sea level. At these altitudes, cool temperatures slow cherry development, creating the conditions for concentrated sweetness, vibrant acidity and complex aromatics.

“The coffee is built around Ethiopian heirloom genetics, primarily the JARC-developed cultivar 74158. Farmers selectively harvest ripe cherries, which are then processed using the natural method. The cherries are dried whole on shaded raised African beds, allowing fruit sugars to interact with the seed throughout drying and contribute to the coffee’s distinctive character.”

• Region: Bensa, Sidama
• Country: Ethiopia
• Farmers: ~60 farmers directly connected to the Dume Washing Station and hundreds more across associated stations.
• Cultivar: 74158 (JARC-released Ethiopian heirloom)
• Altitude: 2,400 – 2,550 masl
• Processing: Natural
• Packaging: Vacuum pack

Quaffee transparency details

• Sourced from: Dume Washing Station, Alo Coffee
• FOB price: $24
• Cupping score: 88 (Alo)
• Producer: Tamiru Tadesse Tessma
• Lot size: 1 x 30kg bag
• Relationship: [Quaffee’s] first coffee from Alo Coffee. [Quaffee] co-sourced this with Cedar whom they have had a relationship with since inception.