Ethiopia – Guji Hambella

Coffees hailing from Guji have consistently ranked among the very best Ethiopia has to offer. It takes its name from the Guji people of Oromo, a tribe who has farmed coffee on the land for generations. Coffee from Guji was once lumped in with coffees from all over the Yirgacheffe region and before Yirgacheffe was its own region, those coffees were blended with coffee from a wide geographical area that encompassed much of central-south Ethiopia under the grade ‘Sidamo’. In 2002 the Guji region was established and it’s coffees are now widely recognised as distinct from both Yirgacheffe and Sidamo coffee thanks to the unique local varieties and microclimates. This coffee is even more unique in that it comes from a single estate in the Guji Zone; Hambela. Hambela is owned by the METAD Agricultural Development PLC, a family run business; the land on which it sits was awarded to Muluemebet Emiru, the first African female pilot, after World War II. Her descendents now run the estate and farm. After being selectively hand-picked, this coffee was naturally processed (sun-dried) on African bamboo beds with frequent turning and sorting of defect cherries while drying. Right from the first time we cupped it, the acidity captivated us. It’s fruity but not overwhelming and complex but easily enjoyed first thing in the morning.