Ethiopia: Dry Process Mansur Aba Hikam

It's been a few years since the Ethiopian government changed their coffee export rules, allowing farmers like Mansur Aba Hikam to sell their coffee directly to importers and roasters like us. In previous years, all private operations big and small had to sell their coffee through the government-run Ethiopia Commodity Exchange and only cooperatives and unions were exempt. There is still a lot of debate about the positive and negative impacts of that process but an issue presented to the buyer is that Ethiopian Coffee Exchange (ECX) coffee was stripped of provenance, save origin, so we never knew where it came from. Through the exchange there was little to no attention brought to who grew the coffee, or the opportunity to buy it again. Farmer Mansur Aba Hikam's coffee, for example, would've just been blended off with other coffees of a similar grade and sold as "Limu Grade 3" (this is Grade 1, btw). All that has changed and he is one of many farmers who have successfully applied for export licenses and are able to sell directly. His 18-hectare farm and wet mill are located near Kebele Kota, not far from Agaro town, and his coffee is planted between altitudes of 1950 and 2000 meters above sea level. His coffee was delivered under his name, but incorporates a small amount of coffee from family members and neighbors as well.

This is also another beautiful Farm Gate coffee that is great as espresso. 

Cupping Notes:  Blueberry, dried fig, maple, palm sugar, coconut date rolls, molasses, and bittersweet chocolate notes

Brew Recommendations: Drip, French Press, pour over, espresso.

Farm Gate Coffee: Farmers paid at least 50% above Fair Trade 

Varietal: Heirloom Cultivars 

Region: Kebele Kota, Agaro, Jimma

Altitude: 1900-2000 meters above sea level

Processing: Dry Process (Natural) and Raised Bed Sun Dried

Equity Pricing (EP) Levels

Sustaining Level: $16 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Uplifting Level: $20 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Benefacting Level: $24 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Sourced from the Kebele Kota region of Agaro, Jimma, this Ethiopia: Dry Process Mansur Aba Hikam represents the meticulous work of producer Mansur Aba Hikam. The coffee utilizes heirloom cultivars grown at elevations between 1900 and 2000 meters. As a dry-processed coffee, the cherries are dried in their entirety, a technique that often imparts a heavier body and pronounced sweetness compared to washed counterparts; you can learn more about these processing methods in our guide.

Roasted by Keia & Martyn's Coffee, this lot highlights the complex profile typical of the Ethiopia · Kebele Kota, Agaro, Jimma region. The roaster identifies notes of blueberry, dried fig, maple, palm sugar, coconut date rolls, molasses, and bittersweet chocolate. To better understand how these specific descriptors fit into the broader spectrum of coffee quality, we recommend consulting our flavor wheel to explore the nuances of these distinct aromatic and taste characteristics.