Getachew Zekele, Hambella

COFFEE NAME: Getachew Zekele, Hambella

ROAST: Light

TASTING NOTES: Black Tea, Cocoa Nibs, Honeysuckle

REGION: Guji, Ethiopia

FARM: Tero

VARIETY: 74110

ELEVATION: 2200 MASL

Coffee Roots

Before he became one of Guji’s most precise producers, Getachew Zekele was an accountant — a literal bean counter. After selling a property in Addis Ababa in 2008, he used the proceeds to buy land in Shakisso and began planting coffee. By 2009 he was harvesting his own crop, collecting cherry from neighbors, and selling through the ECX. In 2016 he formalized Dimtu PLC, pairing his own farm (Tero Farm) with a washing station and later a dry mill to oversee quality from cherry to export. What distinguishes Dimtu from most private washing stations is the structure of its outgrower program. Rather than simply purchasing cherry, Getachew’s team registers and maps every contributing farm, trains each producer in agronomy and processing, and maintains meticulous records through a dedicated outgrower engagement office. Participating farmers receive pre-harvest financing, seedlings, and improved access to materials — and are rewarded with premiums tied directly to quality.

This single-origin offering from Crimson Coffee highlights the distinct profile of the 74110 varietal, a selection often celebrated for its refined cup character. Sourced from producer Getachew Zekele in the Hambella district of the Guji region, this coffee is grown at an elevation of 2200 masl. The 74110 varietal is frequently noted for its ability to express delicate, nuanced aromatics, which in this specific lot manifest as notes of black tea, cocoa nibs, and honeysuckle.

When evaluating such profiles, enthusiasts often look to the flavor wheel to categorize the interplay between floral top notes and deeper, structural cocoa elements. Ethiopian coffees from high-altitude zones like Guji are widely recognized for their complex acidity and tea-like clarity, qualities that define the regional identity. By focusing on the specific output of Getachew Zekele, this entry provides a clear look at how precise agricultural practices in Ethiopia translate into a sophisticated sensory experience.