Ethiopia — Jigesa Washing Station Landrace (Washed, G1)

Tastes Like — 🍉 Watermelon • 🍈 Grapefruit Juice • 🌹 Rose

DETAILS

• Producer: 850 smallholders surrounding Jigesa Washing Station (Testi Coffee)
• Region: Shakiso, Guji, Ethiopia
• Varietal: Landrace
• Process: Washed (G1)
• Altitude: 1,800–1,950 masl

INTRO The Jigesa Washing Station serves over 850 smallholder farmers in Shakiso, Guji, each farming an average of 2.5 hectares. This G1 lot holds Testi Coffee's reputation for extreme consistency, with a uniquely red cup profile absent of stonefruit — a real departure from typical washed Ethiopian flavour expectations. A sticky watermelon sweetness leads, followed by a tart ruby grapefruit juice punch, mellowing into cool red tones of rose. In the cup: watermelon, grapefruit juice, and rose.

THE PRODUCER Farmers contributing cherry to Jigesa typically grow coffee as their main cash crop alongside corn, wheat, and bananas, between 1,800–1,950 masl, and are encouraged to grow Birbira, Acacia, and Wanza trees for shade. Jigesa is owned and operated by Testi Coffee, founded by Faysel Abdosh in 2009. His broader work managing washing stations has contributed to many lots sourced through Testi from Cafe Imports and Trabocca, coffees known for extremely consistent quality standards.

THE PROCESS This lot is Washed and graded G1, a method that removes the fruit before fermentation and drying — allowing this landrace lot's naturally red, floral character to come through with clarity, notably absent the stonefruit typical of washed Ethiopians.

The absence of typical stonefruit character is the defining detail here — it's what gives this lot its distinctly red-fruited profile, building the watermelon sweetness and rose florality that set this cup apart.

THE CUP Uniquely red-fruited — a sticky watermelon sweetness immediately upfront, followed by a tart ruby grapefruit juice punch, mellowing into cool red tones of rose and hibiscus.

Flavour Notes 🍉 Watermelon 🍈 Grapefruit Juice 🌹 Rose