Shantawene - Ethiopia, Natural

SEZITA – red fruit flavours with exotic notes of tropical fruits

Shantawene station, Bensa, Sidama - Natural

From Bensa district of Sidama, Ethiopia, this coffee is produced by smallholder farmers cultivating indigenous Ethiopian landrace varieties at approximately 2,200 metres above sea level. The combination of high elevation, fertile soils and alternating rainy seasons creates an environment well suited to slow cherry maturation and expressive, delicate coffees.

Shantawene sits between the villages of Bombe and Bombe Mountain. Many producers here are small-scale “garden farmers,” growing coffee around their homes and harvesting from trees naturally established on their land. This traditional farming structure reflects the deep relationship between coffee cultivation and everyday agricultural life in the region.

Natural Process

Ripe cherries are handpicked by local smallholder producers before being delivered for processing. For this natural lot, the whole cherries are carefully density sorted, hand sorted on drying tables and slowly dried under the Ethiopian sun until they reach the desired moisture level. After drying, the coffee is dry-hulled and prepared for milling and export.

This relatively simple but carefully controlled natural process preserves the fruit character of the coffee while allowing the inherent qualities of the high-altitude Ethiopian varieties to remain clear and refined.

In the Cup

Expect a delicate combination of floral honey, peach and round pear.

Floral honey provides a soft aromatic sweetness, while ripe peach brings gentle stone-fruit vibrancy through the centre of the cup. Round pear gives the profile a fresh, mellow fruit quality without becoming overly intense.

The body remains light and elegant, with a silky mouthfeel that carries the flavours smoothly across the palate. Rather than emphasizing heavy fermentation or powerful fruit intensity, this coffee is about delicacy and balance, sweet, refined and composed from beginning to finish.

Origin: Bensa, Sidama, Ethiopia
Producers: Smallholder farmers
Station: Shantawene
Varieties: Ethiopian Heirloom
Process: Natural
Drying: Raised drying beds
Altitude: 2,200 masl
Tasting Notes: Raspberry Jam · Red Wine · Plum