We receive fresh deliveries of these coffee beans twice per week. Please allow up to 3-4 working days after you order for dispatch in case we need to wait for the next delivery.
In the early days of Cape Coffee Beans, much of the best Ethiopian specialty coffee that we drank in South Africa was from the celebrated Yirgacheffe region, often thought of as the Champagne of coffee. After all, only coffees grown in the Yirgacheffe region bear the appellation, and it is recognised by coffee drinkers everywhere as producing some of the best lots in the world. Our friends at Rosetta Roastery have always had a talent for finding the best of the best from Ethiopia. That is as true today, as it was years ago when we started working with them.
Nevertheless, things have changed a little in the last few years. One of these changes is that we get to enjoy specialty coffees from other regions of Ethiopia much more often. The Guji Zone particularly, has made its way on to many roasters' offering lists and Rosetta has released many delicious coffees from this area in recent years. It has meant that we've had fewer Yirgacheffe lots as they have had to share the limelight with their Ethiopian compatriots. With this release, Rosetta returns to its roots with a classic washed offering from Yirgacheffe.
In many ways, this is a quintessential Yirgacheffe lot. It was grown by a collection of smallholder farmers. It was processed using the washed or wet method and it's comprised of heirloom varieties of arabica. It should offer an archetypal Yirgacheffe tasting experience. Veteran drinkers of specialty coffee in Cape Town will remember previous lots from this very sub-region of Yirgacheffe released by our friends at Origin that were absolute crowd favourites back in 2022.
Phaedon's tasting notes
Despite the progressive roasting style, I would argue that this coffee is a truly classic Yirgacheffe. There's nothing funky or progressive about the way it was processed and I would say the same about its flavour profile. It's delicate and subtle and to my palate, the dominant notes are definitely black tea, with some subtle hints of stone fruit discernible in some cups. I enjoyed it most of all in a siphon and a moka pot. In the siphon, it was all about in the tea notes but in my Moka Express it offered a bright and citrusy ersatz espresso.
Rosetta's notes
Style: Progressive
Flavour: Floral & complex, peach, nectarine, black tea finish
"Washed Ethiopians call for a gentle hand and a sharp intuition at the roaster. We start from a high charge temperature and drive the momentum of the roast early on. Keeping the profile short and avoiding a long post-crack development allows the coffee’s inherent character to shine through — a light tea-like body, crisp acidity, and elegant vibrancy that make this a favourite for filter brews."
Coffee details from Rosetta
"Produced by small-scale farmers in Banko Gotiti, Gedeb, this washed heirloom coffee reflects the distinctive terroir of the Yirgacheffe Zone, which is known for its bright citrus, stone fruits and floral flavour profile. From this lot, those notes take shape as nectarine, bergamot, and juicy purple fruit. These modest smallholder farms, often no larger than a hectare or two, sit between 1950 and 2100m ASL. Cherries are selectively handpicked, pulped, and fermented for 48 hours before being carefully dried on raised beds for up to 21 days — a slow, deliberate process that elevates the cup’s clarity and nuance."
- Producers: Smallholder farmers of Wete Ambela Coffee Export PLC washing station
- Region: Banko Gotiti, Gedeb, Yirgacheffe
- Country: Ethiopia
- Altitude: 1,950 - 2,100 masl
- Processing: Washed
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Variety: Heirloom varieties
- Harvest: 2024