Ethiopia – MALAWO

CANTALOUPE MELON, LEMON PEEL, ROOIBOS TEA

Tasting Notes	Cantaloupe Melon, Lemon Peel, Rooibos Tea
Region	Sidama, Keramo, Ethiopia
Producers	Daye Bensa
Altitude	1920-2300 MASL
Process	Washed
Variety	74158 Heirloom
SCA rating (*/100)	86.75

Grown at around 2,200 metres above sea level in the highland area of Arbegona, within Ethiopia’s Sidama Zone, this coffee thrives at one of the highest cultivated elevations in the country. At this altitude, the slow ripening of the cherries produces beans that are dense, complex, and intensely flavourful — the hallmark of true Highland Coffee.

The coffee is sourced from smallholder farmers in Boreta village, where coffee is the lifeblood of the local economy, grown alongside sugar cane, false banana, spices, and vegetables. Only fully ripe cherries are accepted at the washing station, where they are sorted by density using flotation tanks before being laid out on raised African drying beds with mesh nets. The cherries are turned every 30 minutes throughout the drying process to ensure even airflow and controlled fermentation.

Drying typically takes 12 to 15 days, depending on conditions. The dried cherries are then rested in local warehouses to allow the flavours to settle and develop fully before milling and export.