Ethiopia Suke Quto

About This Coffee

WHY WE LOVE IT: Delicate, sweet, and complex, this washed coffee exemplifies what we love about releases from Ethiopia. REGION: Odo Shakisso, Guji Zone ALTITUDE: 1,800 - 2,200 m PROCESSING: Washed VARIETY: Ethiopian Landraces The profile of this coffee is classically washed-Ethiopian: delicate without being boring, sweet without losing complexity, and bright without being overpowering. Orange citrus and the juicy bite of white grape meld together wonderfully amidst a touch of nougat sweetness. It's a memorable cup for lovers of Ethiopian coffee, and everyone else too. DISCOVER MORE Coffee from Ethiopia’s Guji Zone would be profoundly different without the influence of Suke Quto Farm. Ato Tesfaye Bekele is one of the early pioneers who helped bring Guji specialty coffees to international attention. He founded Suke Quto in the aftermath of a series of devastating bushfires between 1997 and 1999. While many locals hoped to convert the burned land into fields for crops and grazing, Tesfaye envisioned something else entirely. As a conservationist, he believed the land should be reforested in a way that also created sustainable livelihoods for the community. He began by distributing coffee seedlings to neighboring farmers, eventually establishing his own nursery. When he couldn’t find a manager willing to care for young coffee plants that wouldn’t produce fruit for four to five years, Tesfaye made a bold decision: he left his job and became a full-time coffee farmer. Tesfaye Bekele’s unconventional path into coffee is what brings us this beautiful washed lot. Today, he and the 171 outgrowers who deliver to his washing station work in partnership with Trabocca to produce exceptional coffees that are organic and Rainforest Alliance–certified. The result is a cup that highlights the floral, fruity character that has made Guji coffees so beloved.