Ethiopia Coffee
Courtesy of Kenneth Davids, 21st Century Coffee: A Guide
For many, the word Ethiopia provokes visions of deserts, droughts and famines. Yet the lush, green hills of southern and southwestern Ethiopiaare more likely to strike visitors who actually go there as paradisal. And, although Ethiopia remains among the world’s poorest countries per capita, for the coffee aficionado it is perhaps the richest place on earth, the source of some of the world’s most varied and distinctive coffees. Ethiopia typically generates about 4% of the world’s coffee, but all is Arabica and much of it is impressive to extraordinary.
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Southern and Western Ethiopia
The producing regions of southern and southwestern Ethiopia in particular stand apart from the world’s other fine coffee origins. Witness:
- The forests of southwestern Ethiopia are the original botanical home of Coffea arabica, and they continue to harbor most of the unexplored genetic diversity still existing in the species.
- Much Ethiopia coffee is produced from indigenous Ethiopian varieties of Arabica; these native landrace varieties display symphonic complexities in aroma and flavor that, at their most distinctive, can make even other distinctive varieties of the world — like SL28 and Bourbon — seem a bit limited in sensory range. The only currently cultivated competitor to the finest native Ethiopian varieties in respect to cup and complexity is Geisha or Gesha, which is an Ethiopia variety (a particularly brilliant one) brought to the New World.
- Export-quality Ethiopia coffees from the south and west are almost always free of significant processing or drying taints. Fruit removal for the wet-processed coffees of these regions is performed using classic ferment-and-wash techniques carried out at well-managed, centralized wet mills or washing stations. Dry or natural-process coffees intended for the specialty market are most likely prepared with analogous care.
- Almost all Ethiopia coffee is grown by small-holding farmers, most of whom very likely have never used chemical inputs. Not only is this reassuring to consumers, but it also makes a transition to formal organic certification relatively easy, accounting for the widespread availability of superb organic-certified Ethiopias.
- Ethiopians deeply care about coffee and understand it. Its lore is woven into their culture. They do not produce great coffee and then go home to drink tea, as Kenyans do, or instant coffee, as sadly occurs in many of the coffee world’s other coffee-growing regions. The Ethiopians themselves consume close to half of their country’s production, most of it roasted fresh.
- Unfortunately for the many cash-poor villages of small-holding Ethiopia farmers, but fortunately for coffee lovers elsewhere in the world, most fine Ethiopia coffees are amazing bargains. A really distinguished coffee from the Yirgacheffe region is luminous, extraordinary, as great and distinctive as any in the world, yet it is likely to sell for routine, everyday specialty coffee prices.
The Harrar Exception
Note that these glowing affirmations apply mainly to the coffees of southern and western Ethiopia (traded through the capital Addis Ababa, including the most famous market names Yirgacheffe and Sidama/Sidamo) and not necessarily to the coffees of eastern Ethiopia, which are traded through the city of DireDawa and are sold under the market name Harrar (also Harar, Harer or Harari). Harrars more resemble the coffees of Yemen than the coffees of southern and western Ethiopia; they are produced from indigenous tree varieties naturalized to the rather arid growing conditions of the Harrar region and are almost always processed by the dried-in-the-fruit or natural method.
Unlike the relatively dynamic coffee industries of south and west Ethiopia, Harrar has languished over the past two decades with little innovation or improvement in quality. Many Harrar coffee farmers now prefer to grow khat, a tree whose fresh leaves are chewed as a stimulant, and which offers them year-round income rather than seasonal income, as does coffee.
At this writing, one only occasionally sees Harrar coffees in the North American specialty market, although they may be a bit more common in northern Europe. Hopefully Harrar will find the leadership and partners it needs to bring it back into specialty coffee as the great and honored origin it was 40 years ago.
Ethiopia Growing Regions
The coffee-name geography of Ethiopia is changing. Overlaid on the traditional regional names— particularly Yirgacheffe and Sidama (or Sidamo), both celebrated names in recent coffee history — are more lately established names for regions, zones and districts aimed at reflecting and honoring various Ethiopian traditional or tribal identities. These newer names form the backbone in the complex ECX grading system. On bags and websites, you may find the old, generalized regional naming or the newer, more ethnically correct terminology, or both. Or the main descriptor simply may consist of the name of one of the many well-known cooperatives or wet mills.
Ethiopia Coffee Ratings and Reviews
The Ethiopia coffees reviewed below are listed in reverse chronological order by review date. Only reviews published in the past five years are displayed. Click here to view older reviews of coffees from Ethiopia. Older reviews may no longer accurately reflect current versions of the same coffee.
Price: NT $400/227 grams
Complex, richly sweet. Nectarine, lime zest, cocoa nib, nougat, lilac in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with juicy, balanced acidity; delicate, silky mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of cocoa nib and lime zest.
Deep-toned, sweet, chocolaty. Baking chocolate, golden raisin, molasses, baking spices, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with gentle, round acidity; very full, velvety mouthfeel. Crisply sweet, chocolaty finish.
Berry-toned, invitingly nuanced. Raspberry, musk, cocoa powder, freesia-like flowers, a hint of rum barrel in aroma and cup. Balanced structure with brisk acidity; plush, lively mouthfeel. The finish leads with distinct raspberry notes in the short, while the long is characterized by spice-toned florals and pleasing sweet ferment.
Price: NT $280/10 capsules
Evaluated as espresso produced as a “ristretto” 25ml (.85-ounce) shot using a Nespresso capsule espresso brewer with whole milk heated using a conventional steam wand. Delicately sweet, citrus-toned. Tangerine zest, cocoa nib, jasmine, almond, cherry blossom in aroma and small cup. Crisp, silky mouthfeel; cocoa-toned, citrusy finish. In three parts milk, cocoa notes move forward while tangerine falls back to a supporting role.
Fruit-forward, multi-layered. Blueberry, musk, cocoa powder, freesia-like flowers, a hint of rum barrel in aroma and cup. Balanced structure with lively acidity; velvety-smooth mouthfeel. The resonant finish leads with dark berries in the short, while the long is characterized by spice-toned florals and a touch of sweet ferment.
Evaluated as espresso. Juicy, sweet-tart. Dried hibiscus, raspberry jam, cocoa nib, cedar, molasses in aroma and small cup. Plush, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel; richly tart finish. Chocolaty and pleasingly bittersweet in three parts milk, with tart floral and berry notes.
Balanced, richly fruit-forward. Lychee, cocoa nib, wisteria, maple syrup, pistachio brittle in aroma and cup. Brightly sweet with delicately juicy acidity; silky-smooth mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to notes of cocoa-toned tropical fruit and pistachio.
Bright, richly high-toned. Lilac, frankincense, cocoa nib, pink grapefruit zest, pistachio butter in aroma and cup. Delicately sweet-tart with balanced, vibrant acidity; silky, viscous mouthfeel. Resonant, long, flavor-saturated finish.
High-toned, elegant, balanced. Apricot, almond butter, bergamot, cedar, cocoa nib in aroma and cup. Delicately sweet structure with juicy-bright acidity; very syrupy, lively mouthfeel. Cocoa-toned finish supported by notes of apricot and almond.
Chocolaty, cleanly fruit-forward. Dark chocolate, blueberry, sandalwood, wisteria, lemongrass in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with brisk acidity; syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. Richly chocolaty finish with undertones of wisteria and sandalwood.
Richly aromatic, deeply and sweetly herb-toned. Cocoa nib, bergamot, lilac, maple syrup, myrrh in aroma and cup. Deeply sweet-toned in structure with vibrant, juicy acidity; syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The long, resonant finish is flavor-saturated, floral- and fruit-toned.
Bright, richly floral-toned. Wisteria, cocoa nib, tangerine zest, almond nougat, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with bright, juicy acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. The satisfying finish leads with notes of wisteria and tangerine, rounding to almond nougat and sandalwood in the long.
Vibrant, high-toned, delicately fruity. Strawberry guava, pink grapefruit zest, lemon balm, spearmint, cocoa nib in aroma and cup. Balanced, sweetly tart with gently juicy acidity; silky, elegant mouthfeel. Cocoa-driven finish with undertones of citrus and sweet herbs.
Price: NT $755/113 grams
Delicate, richly sweet, floral-toned. Star jasmine, raspberry, cocoa nib, maple syrup, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Bright, sweet-tart structure with juicy acidity; plush, satiny mouthfeel. The long finish centers around deep floral and bright berry tones, grounded by cocoa nib.
Very fruit-centric, spicily floral. Watermelon candy, star jasmine, agave syrup, pistachio butter, pink peppercorn in aroma and cup. Brightly sweet-tart with energetic acidity; very full, viscous mouthfeel. Resonant, fruit-focused finish with pistachio undertones.
Price: NT $320/8 ounces
Richly sweet, deep-toned, bright and juicy. Pomegranate, dark chocolate, marshmallow, hazelnut butter, key lime in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with high-toned, balanced acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The cleanly fruit-toned finish is supported by notes of hazelnut and key lime.
Deep-toned, chocolaty. Baking chocolate, date, hazelnut, fresh-cut cedar, brown sugar in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with gentle, round acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. Crisp, chocolaty finish with undertones of hazelnut and date.
High-toned, floral-driven, lyrically sweet. Wisteria, Keemun tea, white nectarine, fresh-cut basil, pink peppercorn in aroma and cup. Impeccably crystalline, balanced structure with buoyant acidity; delicately satiny mouthfeel. Very long, integrated, satisfying finish, with fruit and floral notes singing into the long.
Delicate, richly aromatic, complex. Tangerine zest, cocoa nib, guava, marjoram, jasmine in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with zesty-bright acidity; silky, vibrant mouthfeel. The finish leads with notes of guava and tangerine zest, rounding to cocoa and marjoram in the long.
Floral-toned, deeply sweet. Tea rose, nectarine, sandalwood, cocoa nib, agave syrup in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart in structure with juicy, vibrant acidity and lightly satiny mouthfeel. Finish leads with notes of cocoa nib and tea rose, supported by hints of nectarine.
