CLOUD FOREST - Ethiopia

Ethiopia, Sidamo
Varietal: Heirloom
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1,860 - 2,160 masl

Peach yoghurt mouthfeel syrupy sweetness and notes of cherry and grape

To the east of the Bale Mountains in Oromia, is Fincha Habera. The site, that is 3,469 Masl, is now considered to be the site of some of the first ever mountaineers present during the last ice age. Ethiopian mountaineers would climb these peaks and spend weeks or maybe a few months living in the oxygen starved site. Hunting Giant Naked Mole Rats and taking advantage of the melted water from glaciers, where the lower altitudes were warmer but drier. To the west of this site, on the other side of Harenna Forest is the Shanta Golba washing station. Run by export company Daye Bensa, the station buys cherry from small scale farmers in the surrounding area with meticulous record keeping to ensure premiums for quality are correctly delivered. This also facilitates their policy of off season payments to farmers utilising the station to help improve their living situation year round.