This coffee takes us back—to those natural Ethiopian coffees that first got us into specialty coffee eight to ten years ago. To be honest, we're quite surprised to find a 2023 harvest naturally processed Ethiopian sweeping our palates by storm… and yet, here we are.
The Details
| Producer | Boledu Coffee Zone |
| Region | Gedeo Zone, Yirgacheffe District |
| Village | Aricha |
| Altitude | 1,950–2,150 meters |
| Harvest | October 2022 – January 2023 |
| Process | Dry / Natural |
| Sourced Via | Algrano |
What We're Tasting
Blueberry · Cotton Candy · Cocoa Powder
Funk Meter: 0/10
This coffee is a whirlwind of fruit, sugar, and cocoa. Centering on blueberries—everything from dried blueberries to blueberry pastry. It quite reminds me of those unfrosted blueberry Pop Tarts my Mom used to get when I was an itty, bitty lad.
The sugar aspect is unmistakably cotton candy, coming through even in espresso and milk drinks. It's all rounded out by a lovely cocoa powder finish.
Zero out of ten on the funk meter. Even the swiftest of cuppers would have a hard time pinpointing a bit of ferment here.
A Confession
My personal preference for naturals has taken a significant downgrade over the past few years. The explosion of experimental processing has muddied the waters—in the majority of cases these days, dry processed coffees seem to come with noticeable ferment. I've gravitated so much towards desirably clean and balanced washed coffees that it's now pretty infrequent I recreationally drink naturals.
But enter, the people.
People like naturals.
We did an early release to our wholesale partners, and the majority of them quite literally lost it. The coffee flew off our shelves—we had to request a backup shipment.
Okay, okay… I can admit I've been neglecting you all by only sourcing with pristine washed coffees in mind. Having come face to face with the beauty of Aricha natural, I offer my sincerest apologies and pledge from here on out to carry you natural lovers on our backs by keeping this coffee around as much as I possibly can.
We already have the 2024 crop contracted, landing the second half of the year.
Why This One Matters
This coffee has been bringing me back to 2015—these kinds of Ethiopian naturals were way more common then. It's been a treat to experience it again and witness everyone's lovely reception.
Enjoy until this batch runs out.
Thankfully Coffee