Yirgacheffe Tulisi

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Tulisi — Anaerobic Natural

This coffee comes from the Tulisi washing station in Gedeb, at the southern tip of Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe region. Smallholder farmers from the nearby villages of Idido, Cherbenta, Wachota and Gerbota grow heirloom Ethiopian varieties here at about 2,000 metres, in semi-forested hills with sandy loam soil. High altitude and cool nights let the cherries ripen slowly, which builds sugar and gives the cup a bright, clean sweetness.

Only the ripest cherries are used, picked when their sugar level (measured in Brix) is above 18. After sorting and flotation, the whole cherries ferment in sealed, oxygen-free tanks for around 110 hours. They then dry slowly for about three weeks on raised beds in partial shade. The long, controlled fermentation turns up the fruit and gives the coffee its rich, layered sweetness.

In the cup, it opens with juicy ripe peach and settles into smooth caramel. It finishes with a lingering dark cherry and chocolate note, a lot like a Cherry Ripe. It's round, syrupy and indulgent, and still has the floral clarity Yirgacheffe is known for.

Origin: Gedeb, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia

Washing station: Tulisi

Altitude: ~2,000 masl

Variety: Ethiopian heirloom

Process: Anaerobic natural (~110-hour fermentation)

Tasting notes: Peach, caramel, Cherry Ripe

Best for: Filter / pour-over, and also great as espresso