Banku Dadadu, Ethiopia, Washed
- Regular price
- $20.00
- Sale price
- $20.00
- Regular price
-
- Unit price
- per
Yellow stone fruit, citrus and brown sugar
new in
COFFEE PROFILE
This espresso is sweet and complex, laden with various fruits and sugary sweetness. Notes of yellow stone fruits like apricot are accompanied by citrus flavours when hot, with a note of brown sugar intensifying as it cools.
| TASTES LIKE | Yellow stone fruit, citrus and brown sugar |
| ROAST | Espresso |
Story
This coffee originates from the Banko Dhadhato Cooperative, a smallholder cooperative nestled in the village of Banko Dhadhato within the Worka community of Gedeb woreda, located in the Gedeo Zone of southern Ethiopia. Established around 2013 by local farmers, the cooperative began with approximately 250 smallholders and has since grown to include hundreds of growers. These farmers collectively manage small forest-garden plots that span about 500 hectares, averaging 0.6–0.7 hectares per farm. They cultivate indigenous Arabica landraces and Heirloom varieties under a dense shade canopy, benefiting from the rich vertisols and the humid, misty highland climate.
The harvest takes place annually from November to January, with ripe cherries handpicked and delivered to the cooperative’s central washing station on the same day. Upon arrival, cherries are meticulously sorted to eliminate under- or over-ripe fruit. The Washed processing begins with depulping, followed by overnight fermentation in open tanks, a thorough water wash, and a brief soaking to equilibrate moisture and density. The parchment is then sun-dried on raised beds for about two weeks, with regular turning and protection from rain or condensation. Once moisture stabilises around 11–12%, the coffee is stored in a warehouse before being transported to Addis Ababa for dry-milling and export.
| PRODUCER | Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative |
| REGION | Yirgacheffe, Gedeb |
| VARIETAL | Heirloom |
| PROCESS | Washed |
| ALTITUDE | 1800-2300 masl |
Origin
Yirgacheffe, Gedeb, Ethiopia
The history of coffee cultivation in Yirgacheffe and the Gedeo area is deeply rooted in Ethiopia’s legacy as the birthplace of Arabica. For centuries, the Gedeo highlands were covered in forests where wild coffee naturally thrived. The local Gedeo people developed an agroforestry system, integrating coffee with enset, fruits, and native shade trees, creating a landscape where coffee was both a cultural staple and an income source. These small family plots were managed with organic inputs and selective handpicking, preserving biodiversity while maintaining quality.
Until the mid-20th century, coffees from Yirgacheffe and Gedeb were grouped under the broader Sidamo designation. As Ethiopia's export sector modernised, the distinctive profile of these coffees—defined by brightness, floral aromatics, and clarity—was recognised, positioning Yirgacheffe as a premium origin. The introduction of washed processing in the 1950s and 1960s was a key milestone, bringing fermentation tanks, fresh water channels, and raised drying beds, which improved consistency and highlighted the region's unique cup profile. From the 1970s, farmers formed cooperatives to access better processing equipment and export services. These cooperatives joined the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, which enhanced quality oversight and expanded the region's global presence. Today, Yirgacheffe and the Gedeb highlands are celebrated for their exceptional terroir, high elevation, rich soils, and heirloom varieties, making them one of the most respected and recognisable coffee origins worldwide.
