Reku Habtam from the Canadian roaster Monogram Coffee is a washed landrace coffee from the hills of Gedeb, Ethiopia—a region that has long enjoyed an excellent reputation for its washed coffees. The flavor profile features peach and blueberries, which form a juicy, naturally sweet base complemented by a subtle hint of Earl Grey tea. The acidity is lively but never sharp, and the entire profile remains clean and well-defined. It is precisely this balance that allows the coffee to shine even in an espresso, where it retains its freshness and lightness without sacrificing any of its sweetness.
The coffee comes from Reku, a small area within the Banko Gotiti farming community in Ethiopia’s Gedeb region. It is processed at the Banko Gotiti washing station—run by Habtamu Getu—where several hundred small-scale farmers from the surrounding area bring their cherries. Most of them farm one to two hectares and grow coffee alongside other crops. The variety falls under the “landrace” designation, an umbrella term for dozens of Ethiopian varieties that have emerged in the country over centuries through natural crossbreeding and whose genetics have not yet been fully mapped.
Processing is carried out using the classic washed method, which emphasizes precision at every step. Freshly picked cherries arrive at the station every day and are immediately and carefully sorted by ripeness to ensure that neither unripe nor damaged fruits enter the processing stage. They are then hulled, and the beans are fermented overnight in clean water to release the remaining mucilage. In the morning, they are thoroughly washed and transferred to raised beds, where they are dried for fifteen to eighteen days while being regularly turned and monitored for moisture content.
- Producer: Habtamu Getu / small-scale growers around Banko Gotiti
- Processing station: Banko Gotiti (Reku)
- Elevation: 2,000–2,100 m above sea level