Apricot, raspberry, and delicate white tea make up the fresh flavor profile of this Ethiopian coffee from Foundation Coffee Roasters. From the very first sip, you’ll notice the fruity notes of apricot, complemented by juicy raspberry. In the background, white tea gradually emerges, lightening the entire profile and adding a cleaner, more elegant character. The coffee has a velvety body, medium acidity, and a long, sweet aftertaste in which the fruity notes slowly give way to a more delicate tea-like finish.
The coffee comes from the village of Shantawene in Ethiopia’s Sidamo region, where it was developed by Daye Bensa in collaboration with small-scale farmers from neighboring villages. Coffee trees here grow at an elevation of approximately 1,900 to 2,300 meters above sea level, where cooler conditions slow the ripening of the cherries and give them more time to develop sugars and aromatic compounds. Daye Bensa is one of the leading coffee producers and processors in this part of Ethiopia and collaborates with numerous local farmers. Through its processing stations, the company purchases ripe cherries, sorts them, and processes them.
The variety is Typica, and the coffee underwent dry (natural) processing. With this method, ripe coffee cherries are dried whole after harvest—that is, together with the skin and pulp. During the gradual drying process, the bean remains in contact with the fruit for an extended period, which is typically associated with a more pronounced sweetness, a fuller body, and more intense fruitiness. The cherries must be turned regularly during drying to ensure the process proceeds evenly and to prevent unwanted fermentation. Once the desired moisture content is reached, the dried pulp is mechanically removed, and the green coffee is further sorted.
- Producer: Daye Bensa
- Elevation: 1,900 to 2,300 meters above sea level