Ethiopian Yirgacheffe – the First Coffee

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee is the oldest type of coffee in the world. It is famous for its delicate, tea-like scent and its clear citrus flavour. Its milky body scaffolds the fruit and aromatics, creating a harmonious balance. The cup finishes with a lingering, pleasant mouthfeel.

Our fine Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee displays a bright acidity with intense, clean tastes. Of course when we discuss “acidity” in coffee we are not referring to the pH level. In this case, we mean that dry, bright, sometimes even sparkling sensation that you should always find in a really high-quality coffee like this Yirgacheffe. It is one of the basic taste characteristics of coffee. The others being body, aroma, sweetness, bitterness and aftertaste. Too little acidity can result in a flat or dull coffee.

The cupping notes for this Yirgacheffe coffee mention its bright lemony sweetness, its hints of chocolate and berries and the complexity of its floral aroma. Moreover, it has a vibrant aftertaste, and may exhibit undertones of berry or wine. We just find it to be a lovely, smooth, consistent coffee that we’ve enjoyed roasting and drinking since the first day we started in this business.

Cradle of African Coffee

Yirgacheffe is a small town in southern Ethiopia which has given its name to coffees grown in a wide radius around the town.

Ethiopia itself is famous as the birthplace of coffee. The best-known story is that it was a boy named Kaldi, a 9th-century Ethiopian goatherd, who discovered coffee when he noticed how stimulated his goats became after eating the beans from a coffee plant. Naturally humans soon tried it too.

The Yirgacheffe area contains coffee estates between 1,750m and 2,000m asl. These elevations qualify Yirgacheffes as Strictly High Grown (SHG) or Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) coffees. This means the coffee beans grow slowly due to the high altitude. As a result there is time for the tree to deliver nutrients to the coffee beans and thus develop the best flavours.

Actually if you enjoy this coffee you might find it a little like our superb, premium Malawian Pamwamba coffee, another African gem. Although this lovely Yirgacheffe is softer and, importantly, slightly cheaper. So enjoy this great cup and save money too!