Ethiopia Lalesa Anaerobic (Ephtah)

Fruit-forward, and properly special.

This lot comes from Ephtah's Lalesa site in Gedeb, Yirgacheffe - the largest drying site in the area, at around 2,200 metres. Coffee there grows under the shade of ensete (false banana) trees and is harvested from December to January.

It's an anaerobic natural. The whole cherries ferment in sealed barrels for nine days, then dry for 13 to 18 days. That long, slow fermentation is where the fruit comes from - expect stone fruit, cacao, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. It cupped at 87.5 points.

Ephtah pay farmers as soon as their cherry arrives at the site, run a daycare centre for farmers' children in Gedeb, and support women farmers through their Ama Commitment scheme.

We roast it relatively light, as an omni roast, so it works as filter or espresso. Roasted on our all-electric Bellwether in York, timed for when the UK grid is greenest.

The details