Arbegona / Ethiopia

This is our second naturally processed release from Ethiopia this season.
For our 2025–26 purchases, production conditions in Ethiopia meant that fewer washed coffees were available, giving us the opportunity to taste a wide range of naturally processed samples.
We have not purchased many naturally processed coffees in the past. When fermentation is not carefully managed, we feel that the resulting coffee can develop an excessive fermented character that masks the distinctive qualities of its origin and variety.

This coffee comes from cherries harvested in an area known as Kurpe, at an even higher elevation within the same Arbegona district as Bochesa, which we released earlier. The cherries are received and processed at Arbegona washing station, built in 2024 and managed by Negussie Damo. Grown and processed at an exceptionally high elevation even for Ethiopia, this naturally processed coffee shows almost none of the fermented character described above. Instead, it has a vivid acidity more reminiscent of a washed coffee. We believe this may be because the lower ambient temperatures at this altitude affect the pace and extent of fermentation during drying.

Once dried, the coffee is transported to a dry mill in Daye, a town in the neighbouring Bensa district to the east, where it is hulled and sorted before awaiting export. Daye is the main town of Bensa district and one of Sidama's coffee collection centres. According to our sourcing partner, Nordic Approach, coffee activity in this area only began in earnest within the past five or six years, and it is regarded as an emerging area with considerable potential for growth.

Arbegona district lies at the north-eastern edge of Sidama Region, bordering Oromia to the north and Bensa district to the east. Bensa and Arbegona are known as two of Ethiopia's highest-altitude coffee-growing areas. Farms across the district lie at approximately 1,900–2,400 metres, while the farms producing this lot sit at 2,250–2,300 metres. This is higher still than the 2,000–2,230 metres where Bochesa is grown, making it one of the highest-grown Ethiopian coffees we have ever offered.

Coffee is an important source of cash income here, and farmers grow it alongside enset, also known as false banana, sugar cane, spices and vegetables. Coffee trees are planted among shade trees and food crops, following Sidama's longstanding agroforestry traditions. At these high elevations and in the cool climate, cherries ripen slowly, which is said to help them develop pronounced sweetness.

The coffee is a mixture of Ethiopian varieties, including 74110 and 74112, alongside local indigenous trees. The Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) selected 74110 and 74112 in the 1970s for their resistance to coffee berry disease and has distributed them to farmers.

Fully ripe cherries are picked by hand and delivered to the station. After flotation sorting in water, they are spread on raised beds, also known as African beds, and turned regularly as they dry. Drying usually takes around 12–15 days, although it can take three to four weeks depending on the weather and the lot. At high elevations with low temperatures, drying generally progresses slowly. Throughout this extended period, keeping the cherry layers even and maintaining regular turning are crucial to the cleanliness of the cup.

This exceptionally clean coffee offers fruity notes of peach and passion fruit, alongside fragrant notes reminiscent of Earl Grey and citrus. A full body and a sweet, chocolate-like finish bring balance to the cup, giving it a rounded, gentle mouthfeel and soft acidity.