Artisan Roast: Ethiopia, Bollodu, Washed

The Gedeo zone is relatively central to the range in which coffees are classified as Yirgacheffe and they often have a very classical Yirgacheffe flavour profile to them. The acidity is more balanced than other zones and the florality brought into balance with stone fruit attributes.

Bollodu sits within the Gedeo zone, and like so many of its neighbouring mills, its producer network grow coffee up to dizzying heights of over 2100 metres above sea level in places. There are around 750 of these producers, each owning up to two hectares of land, that bring their coffee to the mill. After fermenting, channelling and soaking over a period of three days the coffee is dried on raised beds as with almost all coffee in the region.

Bollodu is a coffee that brings out more of the apricot and bergamot aspects so reminiscent of Yirgacheffe coffees, making it a great place to start with this style of coffee before trying more exotic single producer coffees from the region. Underneath these primary fruit like flavours we find jasmine florals and a subtle fresh ginger spice characteristic. Supporting milk chocolate and vanilla begin to come through more as the coffee cools adding further weight to the final favours. As with all great grade one Yirgacheffe's there is a medium intensity complex acidity reminiscent of grapes. This adds structure, effervescence and persistence on the finish and balances off the sweetness in the cup.

We've roasted this coffee with filter and aeropress brewing in mind and the bright fruit and floral notes are more prominent here, especially with the aeropress where dried apricot like characteristics shine.