Ethiopia — Basha Bekele Gonjobe 74158 (Anaerobic Natural)

Tastes Like — 🌹 Rose • 🍑 Nectarine • 🥭 Mango • 🍓 Strawberry • 🍇 Kyoho Grape

DETAILS

• Producer: Basha Bekele (2024 Ethiopia CoE Winner)
• Station: Gonjobe
• Region: Bensa, Sidama, Ethiopia
• Varietal: 74158
• Process: Anaerobic Natural
• Elevation: 2,560–2,580 masl
• Crop: Picked Dec 2025–Jan 2026, arrived Jun 2026

INTRO From Basha Bekele's award-winning Gonjobe station, high on Bode Hill outside Gonjobe village — a rare, precious crop from the ultra-high elevation zone of 2,550–2,580 meters, redefining the absolute limit of terroir. Rose and nectarine lead, with mango and strawberry sweetness, finishing on a Kyoho grape richness. In the cup: rose, nectarine, mango, strawberry, and Kyoho grape.

THE PRODUCER In 2021, Basha Bekele purchased his Gonjobe processing station. Following his victory as the 2024 CoE Champion and both 1st and 2nd Runner-up finishes at the 2025 TOH, Basha didn't rest on his laurels — instead venturing into ultra-high elevation, where the harsh climate presented severe challenges to tree growth and processing, yet yielded a rare crop of small cherries and limited yield.

THE PROCESS Harvested cherries undergo a 24-hour natural heap fermentation before moving into sealed fermentation tanks. The high-altitude cool temperatures slow fermentation activity and minimise contamination risk, allowing the process to extend up to 96 hours. The cherries then move to shaded raised beds for drying, requiring extra covering to prevent frost damage at such elevation — sun-drying typically lasts 46–48 days. Finally, the coffee rests in the warehouse for another 30 days before hulling in Sidama prior to export.

The combination of extreme altitude and extended 96-hour fermentation is the defining step — the cool climate slows everything down, building the layered rose, mango, and Kyoho grape complexity that define this rare, small-cherry cup.

THE CUP Rare and layered — rose florality opens the cup, nectarine and mango sweetness through the middle, with strawberry and a rich Kyoho grape finish. A precious, extreme-elevation crop from one of Ethiopia's most decorated producers.

Flavour Notes 🌹 Rose 🍑 Nectarine 🥭 Mango 🍓 Strawberry 🍇 Kyoho Grape