Ethiopia Kayon from Carrow Coffee Roasters is a coffee built on subtler flavors, but it certainly doesn’t lack character. The aroma immediately reveals jasmine and other floral notes, which blend on the palate with juicy citrus and a pleasant, slightly caramel-like sweetness reminiscent of toffee. The acidity is fresh and clean, without any unnecessary sharpness, and together with a light, silky body, it gives the cup an almost tea-like impression. As the coffee gradually cools, the citrus notes become more pronounced, the sweetness comes to the forefront, and the jasmine lingers in the aftertaste.
The coffee comes from Kayon Mountain Farm in the Guji area, located in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. The farm was founded in 2012 by Ismael Hassen Aredo and his family and today spans approximately 500 hectares, with about 300 of them dedicated to coffee cultivation. It is interesting to note that the entire lot comes from a single farm. In Ethiopia, it is more common for processing stations to receive cherries from a large number of small-scale growers in the surrounding area. At Kayon Mountain, local heirloom varieties grow at altitudes ranging from 1,900 to 2,200 meters above sea level, where cooler conditions slow the ripening of the coffee cherries. It is precisely the high altitude, local varieties, and the Guji environment that significantly contribute to why this coffee is so floral, clean, and layered.
The processing for this coffee remains classic and simple. The washed method allows the cherries themselves—the local heirloom varieties—and the conditions in which they grew to take center stage. Thanks to this, the resulting cup remains so clean and distinct, with a clear floral profile, citrusy freshness, and a sweeter toffee note in the background. Furthermore, the coffee comes from organic production, and the current harvest took place in January 2026. It’s a beautiful example of how an interesting filter coffee doesn’t have to rely on complicated processing—sometimes all it takes is a great origin, good work on the farm, and letting the coffee speak for itself.