Ethiopia Yirgacheffe G1 Washed Edido (Lot 1) (2019 Crop)

This grade 1 washed Ethiopian coffee comes from 650 smallholder farmers in the village (kebele) of Edido in Yirgacheffe district.

THE PROCESS

Grown at altitudes between 1,800 and 2,000 masl, the farmers deliver their ripe coffee cherries to the local Edido washing station managed by Abdulmejid Jibril. After careful sorting and floatation to select only the highest quality cherries, these are pulped and then fermented for 36-48 hours depending on the climatic conditions. The coffee is then washed and graded by density in clean water channels before being dried in the sun on raised African beds for 12-15 days. In the daytime the parchment needs to be raked and turned periodically to ensure a consistent drying process. The coffee is also covered between 12pm and 3pm to protect it from the hot sun, and at night time to protect from rainfall and condensing ambient moisture. Once the coffee has dried to the optimum level it is transported to Addis Ababa for dry-milling, grading, sorting and handpicking, before being bagged in GrainPro for export.

THE REGION

The ‘kebele’ of Edidio is in Yirgacheffe district (woreda), Gedeo Zone. Over a number of years the Yirgacheffe subregion has developed a distinguished reputation for fine coffees, producing some of the most sought-after microlots in world. The combination of high altitude (up to 2,200m in some areas), fertile soil, consistent & plentiful rains, and an abundance of local knowledge are all contributing factors to the high status of Yirgacheffe coffees. The indigenous ‘heirloom’ varietals - which grow wild in parts of Ethiopia - are responsible for the unique flavour notes which make for an unusual but beautifully refined cup, characterised by strong citric acidity, sweet chocolate and floral/herbal notes of lavender, jasmine, bergamot & hops.