Country: Ethiopia
Region: Gotiti, Yirgacheffe
Varietal: Heriloom
Process: Natural
Altitude: 2,200 - 2,300 MASL
Cupping Notes: Peach, Pink Lemonade, Strawberry, Milk Chocolate
Description: The region where the Banko Gotiti washing station lies is on the edge of the Yirgacheffe growing region, bordering Guji. This area produces some of the most vibrant cups in the country, and this natural is one of those. Coffee growers who deliver to this station farm largely organically, using very little or no fertilizer and pesticides. Most farmers also intercrop their coffees trees with other foods to make the most use of their often very small farms, typically 1/2 hectare. Banko Gotiti pays a premium to ensure only ripe cherries are delivered to their station, and coffee is hand sorted upon arriving to the station. Drying a natural at the station is done slowly on raised beds, roughly 20 days depending on weather conditions, which is great for the stability of the green coffee. At the impressive elevations that these coffees are grown, it comes as no surprise that the quality is also impressive — on a cupping table of arrivals from multiple countries, including exotic varieties, this was the star. It’s extremely vibrant, and very dynamic, with crystal clear clarity. The notes we got sound really great, because this coffee is really great. The cup starts hot with Fresh Peach, sweet acidity of Pink Lemonade, and cools with even sweeter notes of Strawberry and finishes with Milk Chocolate. If you made it this far into the description, you also get a bonus note that multiple of us gave this coffee, Ice Cream. The good reputation that Ethiopian naturals have doesn’t do justice to this natural from Banko Gotiti, you honestly have to taste this one.