Ethiopia Kolla Bolcha

About This Coffee

Renowned as one of the world’s oldest coffee-growing regions, Agaro has brought us countless high-quality offerings since our earliest days of roasting—including standout names like Duromina, Genji Chala, and Yukro. This coffee from the Kolla Bolcha washing station was a highlight of the season, with notes of ripe peach, papaya, black tea, and floral honeysuckle, all supported by a full mouthfeel. The past decade has established Agaro’s reputation for distinctive, high-quality washed offerings. Reaching their peak expression well after harvest, we find they present a range offresh and dried-fruit characteristics, along with a spiced floral nuance that defines their flavor provenance. Coffees from this region in southwestern Ethiopia—often referred to simply as “the west” by coffee buyers—were historically sun-dried and sold in bulk for low prices under a generic regional name. Thanks to a partnership between USAID and Technoserve to fund infrastructure in Agaro, this area’s network of washing stations can now reliably produce impeccable coffees and thus command higher prices in the market. The Kolla Bolcha washing station is operated by the Kata Muduga cooperative, which, unlike most unions in Ethiopia, works on commission. Ninety percent of the purchase price is returned directly to the cooperative—and, by extension, to the community. Under their leadership, quality at Kolla Bolcha has exceeded even the most renowned washing stations in Agaro in recent seasons.