Chelbessa

ABOUT CHELBESSA

In Ethiopia, we have been refining our ability to find, isolate, and separate unique coffees, and this lot from Chelbessa exemplifies that progress. About a decade ago, most coffee from Gedeo was sold under the well-known name of Yirgacheffe. Today, we can explore Gedeo’s distinct woredas (districts) individually, including Dilla, Dilla Zuria, Bule, Wenago, Yirgacheffe, Kochere, and Gedeb. Gedeb, the southernmost woreda, has been producing coffee for only one or two generations, with trees that are 20–30 years old—relatively young by Ethiopian standards. This region continues to fascinate us, and we are eager to keep exploring its potential as we bring its beautiful coffees to market.

ABOUT ETHIOPIAN LANDRACE

Ethiopia is widely acknowledged as where coffee originated, and its production continues to represent about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. DNA testing has confirmed over 60 distinct varieties growing in Ethiopia, making it home to the most coffee biodiversity of any region in the world. Given the tradition of coffee production in Ethiopia and the political interworkings of the Ethiopian coffee trade, it is virtually impossible to get single variety coffee lots from Ethiopia. This is changing, albeit very slowly. Most Ethiopian coffees are blends of the many Ethiopian varieties, and referred to simply as 'Ethiopian Landrace'.