Size: 200g
Tasting Note: Lemon Custard | Lemon Zest | Lychee | Black Tea | Floral
Varietal: Heirloom
Processing Method: Washed
Growing Altitude: 1800-2200
The Sidama region is like a coffee melting pot.
Even after Yirgacheffe and Guji zones are separated from Sidama to become independent zones due to their popularity and economic contribution, the Sidama region remains a huge coffee producing zone with size several times bigger than Yirgacheffe and Guji combined. It is so vast that the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) differentiates the Sidama region into Sidama A, B, C, D and E.
With the above knowledge, one naturally understands that the Sidama region is like a treasure island – the coffees from Sidama can vary a lot in terms of quality even among the Grade 1 coffees. It also, excitingly, means that amazing offerings are buried somewhere among the common ones, awaiting a trained palate to discover them.
Sidama Bensa Morea Lot 20/02 from Woreda Bensa is a not an extremely rare find, but it warrants attention for its classic Ethiopian washed coffee characteristics such as lemony citric acidity, honey notes and mixed floral aromas. The coffee is clean and soothing with a comfortable aftertaste.
An Important Acknowledgement
The Sidama region is also interchangeably known as Sidamo among the coffee industry. However, there are sentiments among the local Ethiopian people where Sidama is actually the preferred and more respectful pronounciation – because Sidamo was an anglicized name given by the conquerors long ago, and it reminds the locals of the unpleasant history.
Imagine if someone still uses British Malaya in reference to Malaysia. Hmph