Ethiopia Basha Bekele Gonjobe Natural

Tasting Notes: Jasmine, Blueberry, Mango

Basha Bekele | Lot: Gonjobe | Region: Bensa, Sidama, Ethiopia | Varietal: 74158 | Importer: Crop to Cup | Processing: Natural | Grade: G1 | Altitude: 2,300–2,350 MASL

Our average cupping score: 88

About the producer

Basha Bekele grows coffee on around 12 hectares of semi-forested land in the Bensa highlands of Sidama, and buys cherry from more than a hundred smallholder neighbours. His father managed the local cooperative in Bombe, and for years the family sold their cherry through it. Recent changes in Ethiopia's export rules let Basha get his own export license, and he has since become one of the country's most celebrated producers, winning the Ethiopia Cup of Excellence on his very first entry. He is known for paying the farmers he buys from a second payment once their coffee sells, something that is still rare in Ethiopia. This lot from Gonjobe was vacuum packed and air freighted to keep it as fresh as possible, and it's one of only a few boxes we could secure this year.

What makes this coffee stand out

At over 2,300 metres, Bensa is one of the highest growing areas in Ethiopia, and the slow cherry maturation there builds remarkable density and sweetness. The variety, 74158, is known locally as "Walega." Basha floats his cherries to remove defects, then dries them slowly on raised beds, a careful natural process that keeps the fruit vivid and clean. We roast this one to lean into its brightness: a perfumed jasmine aroma, a wave of juicy wild blueberry, and a ripe, tropical mango sweetness that lingers long after the cup is gone.

Our light roasts develop their best flavors after 2 weeks, peak around 4 weeks, and remain delicious for weeks after. For extended freshness, consider freezing the coffee to preserve its quality even longer.