This Ethiopian coffee from Banko Taratu, roasted by California-based Hydrangea Coffee Roasters, is exactly the kind of coffee that makes you say, “Yeah, this is why we love washed Ethiopian coffees so much.” It’s clean, fragrant, floral, and beautifully fruity, with notes of honeysuckle, mandarin, and ripe peach. Hydrangea lets its elegance and juiciness shine through, so expect a cup that’s neither heavy nor overly wild, but rather delicate, fresh, and wonderfully clear.
The coffee comes from the Banko Taratu area in the Gedeb district, which is part of the well-known Yirgacheffe region. The cherries for this lot were supplied by more than 500 family farms for whom coffee is the primary source of livelihood. It is grown high in the mountains, at an elevation of roughly 1,900 to 2,300 meters above sea level, where the cherries ripen more slowly and develop more pronounced flavors. After harvest, the cherries are sorted by hand and processed together at a processing plant, where they undergo fermentation, washing, and drying on raised beds.
Processing is carried out using the washed method with double fermentation . After the pulp is removed, the coffee first ferments for 48 to 72 hours , then is washed, and undergoes a second, shorter fermentation lasting 12 to 24 hours . The Ethiopian varieties 74110 and 74112 are among the locally selected Ethiopian cultivars that were bred with an emphasis on resilience, yield, and the ability to thrive at high altitudes. In the cup, they often offer delicate floral notes, citrus freshness , and hints of stone fruit , which in this washed Ethiopian coffee beautifully complement its mandarin-peach profile with a clean finish that invites you to take another sip.
- Altitude: 1,900–2,300 m above sea level