Do you ever find yourself craving a glass of red wine in the afternoon, but for understandable reasons, you hold off on having it? This Ethiopian coffee from The Naughty Dog roastery will reliably make up for that experience in a truly elegant, caffeinated form. It’s a coffee that stands out from the crowd of ordinary African beans. The flavor first captivates with the bright acidity of black currants, which is immediately balanced by the sweetness of Mon Chéri cherry pralines. The whole experience is underscored by rich notes of red wine and bitter cocoa nibs. The result is a layered and full-bodied cup that feels more like a sumptuous dessert.
The green beans come from the famous Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia, specifically the Gedeb area. The Lalesa washing station handles the processing of this fresh harvest, to which small-scale farmers from the immediate vicinity deliver their crops. Their coffee trees grow at extreme altitudes ranging from 1,900 to 2,300 meters, which ranks among the highest elevations in the country. Under these specific conditions, with the thin mountain air, the popular Ethiopian varieties 74110 and 74112 are cultivated. These local cultivars are highly resilient, and combined with the cooler climate, they allow the cherries to ripen extremely slowly. As a result, the resulting green coffee offers exceptionally rich flavor potential.
The unique “ Black Honey” processing method plays the largest role in this decadent flavor profile. After the ripest cherries are hand-picked and thoroughly sorted, the fruits pass through a hulling machine. This machine removes only the outer skin but intentionally leaves as much of the sticky pulp— rich in natural sugars—on the bean itself as possible. The coffee is then transferred to drying beds, where it dries very slowly. It is precisely because of the large amount of sugar left on the beans that the drying husk takes on its characteristic black color. This lengthy and meticulously monitored process gives the beverage its full body, notes of red wine, and a rich, praline-like sweetness.
- Processing Station: Lalesa
- Elevation: 1,900–2,300 m above sea level