From Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, comes this elegant Yirgacheffe, a satiny and juicy coffee with subtle flavors of honeydew melon, rose water, and green tea. Before you taste it, though, a floral aroma will arouse your senses with sweet, fragrant lilac.

The beans are an offering from the lush hills and misty valleys of central southern Ethiopia’s Yirgacheffe region, home to some of the best beans in the world.

The birthplace of coffee

Ethiopia has a lot to offer to a curious coffee-drinker, from unique flavors to coffee’s colorful legacy – one that still intrigues today’s historians.

One legend tells of an Ethiopian herdsman who noticed his goats became spunky after eating red berries from a particular bush. He tried the berries himself, and enjoyed the euphoric results so much, he started sharing the berries with others. Yet another legend involves a mystic, who survived exile in the desert for several days on coffee alone, the miracle of which earned him sainthood upon his return.

While all the stories differ, they share this common theme – the life-enriching effects of berries from the native coffee trees of Ethiopia.

The rhythm of the mills

Gelana Abaya mills are located on the eastern slopes of the lush hills that separate Yirgacheffe from Lake Abaya. The people here work together, with a united focus and commitment to quality. Dozens of workers sing in time to the rhythm of their activities, as they carefully sort through the fresh beans drying in the sun. The mills are pristine and immaculate.

We think the workers’ passion and attention to detail, combined with this pristine work environment, result in an equally clean, complex cup of coffee that echoes the country’s rich history.

Technical Footnote

Producer: Co-Op
Taste Notes: Satiny and delicate with honeydew melon, rose water, and jasmine tea notes
Process: Washed
Region: Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Altitude: 1,800 - 2,200 MASL
Variety: Typica