Ethiopia is widely regarded as the birthplace of coffee, and for many people it remains the benchmark for some of the most expressive and distinctive cups in the world. This particular lot comes from Bookkisa, a sub-kebele in the Shaakkiso area of Guji, where 33 smallholder farmers have contributed cherries to the lot. The farms sit at high altitude, between 2,000 and 2,200 metres above sea level, creating the conditions for slow cherry development and a clean, vibrant cup profile.

The coffee is produced through Sookoo, a family-run Ethiopian coffee business led by Ture Ware, who manages washing stations in both Uraga and Shaakkisso. Sookoo places a strong emphasis on traceability and long-term support for the producers supplying cherries to the mill. Alongside exporting high-quality coffee, the organisation provides pre-harvest loans, agricultural training, and practical support within the local community, including the construction of roads and schools.

For this lot, cherries are handpicked by producers, delivered to the washing station, then sorted, pulped, fermented and dried on raised beds in the open sun before being transferred to the dry mill. The farmers contributing to this coffee grow disease resistant landraces, and there is also ongoing work in the region to improve soil health, biodiversity and water conservation, including the planting of indigenous trees to support both the land and the coffee growing beneath it.

Roasted medium-light, this is a delicate and expressive cup that shows exactly why Ethiopian coffees are so celebrated. Expect a floral, fruit-led profile with notes of lemon, jasmine and watermelon.