PRODUCER: Konga Washing Station shareholders

VARIETIES: Heriloom

PROCESS: washed

FLAVOURS: lemon, black tea, fruity flavours

PROFILE: roasted for espresso

ALTITUDE: 1925 masl

Ethiopia is regarded by many as the birthplace of coffee. It has been cultivated there since the 1500s, in much the same way it is grown today. Most coffee grows wild in the shade of other trees and is referred to as forest grown coffee. Other coffees grow in gardens along with other crops, with minimal agricultural intervention. Some is a bit of a combination, where producers lightly cultivate and weed their forest crop in order to ease harvesting. In any case, most smallholders produce an average of only 5 bags per year.

One of the most notable coffee producing regions in Ethiopia is Yirgacheffe. This small region is located in the southern part of the country, adjacent to other notable coffee regions like Kochere and Oromia. It is home to fertile soil, high elevation and a tropical climate with moderate wet and dry seasons.