026 - Ethiopia/Yemen Blend

A blend of Ethiopian Gesha and Yemeni Jaadi. The Jaadi was chosen for its clarity and winey depth. For the Ethiopian component, we chose the cleanest and most aromatic coffee that we cupped from Gesha Village.

This limited release explores the shared history of two of coffee’s most important origins. Arabica is widely believed to have originated in the forests of Ethiopia before crossing the Red Sea into Yemen, where coffee first became a cultivated and widely traded crop. From the port of Mocha, coffee spread across the world, shaping the global coffee culture that exists today.

Although its roots lie in Ethiopia, near the village that gave the varietal its name, Gesha rose to prominence through producers in Panama, whose terroir helped reveal its exceptional potential for complexity and aromatics. Today, it remains one of the most celebrated varietals in specialty coffee and continues to fetch some of the highest prices at auctions across the world. Producers at Gesha Village have sought to reclaim and showcase Gesha within its original terroir, offering a different perspective on a varietal that has largely been defined by its success in Latin America.

For decades, Yemeni coffee was largely absent from the international specialty market due to conflict and instability restricting exports. Its gradual return has revealed a coffee culture unlike anywhere else in the world. It is shaped by isolated mountain farming on sloped terraces, naturally evolving local varietals, and severe water scarcity, which means producers rely almost exclusively on natural processing. These conditions have helped preserve unique varietals and distinctive winey flavour profiles that remain relatively unexplored compared to more heavily researched coffee-producing countries.

The 026 - Ethiopia/Yemen Blend, roasted by Colonna Coffee, represents a unique intersection of heritage and innovation. By combining Gesha from Ethiopia’s Gesha Village with the traditional Jaadi varietal from Yemen, this blend bridges two of the most storied regions in coffee history. Both components undergo a natural process, a technique where the coffee cherry is dried intact around the seed. As detailed in our processing methods explainer, natural-processed coffees often develop distinct, fruit-forward profiles as the sugars from the fruit pulp permeate the bean during drying.

In the cup, this blend is characterized by a winey profile, a descriptor often found on the flavor wheel to denote deep, fermented fruit qualities and a complex acidity. Because this lot utilizes the prized Gesha varietal alongside the rare Jaadi, it offers a compelling study in how regional terroir and varietal genetics interact within a single, carefully curated roast.