AL MANSHIYA from OVNI Coffee isn’t the kind of coffee you just drink without thinking. It’s bold, complex, and reveals something new with every sip. The flavor profile features peach blossoms, mango, cranberries, chocolate, and a honey-like sweetness. The entire cup is fruity yet very well-structured, with a long, clean finish. The Kent variety here displays a completely different character than what you might be used to from other countries.
The coffee comes from the Maghrab Ans region in Dhamar, Yemen, specifically from the Al Manshiya valley community in Bani Ofair. The surrounding terraces are filled with coffee trees, grain fields, and orchards irrigated by natural springs. It is produced by the Al Ofairi tribe in collaboration with Qima Coffee. OVNI notes that the Kent variety, first identified in India in the 1920s, has its genetic roots in the YemeniTypica-Bourbon population. Seeds exported hundreds of years ago from ports like Mokha and Aden helped spread coffee across the globe—and this coffee directly builds on that history.
The processing method is called Alchemy XCI and is a highly complex process consisting of several fermentation stages. First, there is 12 hours of aerobic fermentation, followed by the cherries being transferred to stainless steel tanks with CO₂, where carbonic maceration takes place for 24–48 hours. This is followed by another 36–48 hours in an anaerobic environment and another 48 hours of drying on shaded raised beds. The entire process culminates in a slow 600-hour drying on traditional African beds—approximately 25 days—before the coffee undergoes final sorting. Qima Coffee states that more than 1,300 experiments went into developing this protocol, all aimed at achieving maximum clarity, structure, and fruity complexity.
- Farmer: Al Ofairi Tribe / Qima Coffee
- Farm: Al Manshiya, Bani Ofair
- Altitude: 1,900–2,100 m a.s.l.
- Region: Maghrab Ans, Dhamar
- Processingmethod: Alchemy XCI
- Variety: Kent