Kaffa, Ethiopia

Kaffa, in Ethiopia's humid southwest, is the region from which Coffea arabica takes its name and is widely regarded as the plant's birthplace, where it still grows semi-wild beneath the montane rainforest canopy. The Kafa Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO in 2010, protects thousands of hectares of this wild genetic diversity — an irreplaceable reservoir for the species' future breeding and climate resilience. Coffee here is grown by smallholders in 'garden' and 'semi-forest' systems between about 1,500 and 2,100 metres, producing earthy, herbal, lightly fruited cups. Kaffa's primary importance is less a single flavour than its role as the living origin and gene bank of Arabica itself.

At a glance

• Altitude: 1500–2100 masl
• Typical varieties: Heirloom
• Common processes: Washed, Natural
• Harvest: 10, 11, 12, 1

Climate

Wet, forested montane climate supporting wild and semi-forest coffee systems.

Soil & terroir

Rich forest soils under dense canopy.