Ethiopia — Wako Jegso Halo Bariti 74110 & Kurume (Natural)

Tastes Like — 🌸 Rose • 🍑 Apricot Jam • 🫐 Berry

DETAILS

Producer: Wako Jegso
Farm: Halo Bariti kebele (Lemlem Ejersa farmer group)
Region: Halo Bariti, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Varietal: 74110, Kurume
Process: Natural
Altitude: 2100 MASL
Harvest: 2025
Size: 250g

INTRO

From Wako Jegso's farm deep in the Halo Bariti kebele of Yirgacheffe, this Natural comes from two of Ethiopia's celebrated local varieties — 74110 and Kurume — cultivated at 2100 MASL within the Lemlem Ejersa farmer group. The result is a deeply aromatic, fruit-forward coffee that captures the essence of high-altitude Ethiopian terroir: rose florals, rich apricot jam, and layered berry sweetness.

Suitable for both Filter and Espresso, this lot reflects the immense potential of Wako's farm when matched with careful natural processing and proper market access.

THE PRODUCER

Wako Jegso's farm sits at 2100 MASL in the Halo Bariti kebele, part of the renowned Yirgacheffe growing zone of southern Ethiopia. Wako is a member of the Lemlem Ejersa farmer group, a collective that has helped connect smallholders like him to specialty coffee buyers willing to pay fair prices for exceptional quality.

Beyond coffee, Wako and his family cultivate fruit trees and practise beekeeping on the same land — a model of biodiversity that enriches the surrounding ecosystem. A father of 18 children, Wako inherited the farm from his own father and has carried on the family's coffee farming tradition across generations.

For many years, he sold his cherries to local processing stations at modest prices. With the right support and market access now in place, Wako's farm is realising the exceptional potential that Yirgacheffe's altitude, rainfall, and heritage varieties have always promised.

THE PROCESS

The Natural process at Halo Bariti involves:

🍒 Selective Harvest — Cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness for maximum sugar content.
✅ Hand Sorting — Freshly picked cherries are sorted to remove underripe or damaged fruit before drying begins.
☀️ Raised Bed Drying — Whole cherries are placed directly onto raised beds and dried in the sun for up to three weeks.
👁️ Constant Turning — Throughout the drying phase, cherries are regularly turned to promote even airflow and prevent unwanted fermentation.
📅 Shade Storage — Once dried to optimal moisture, the coffee is bagged and stored under shade until dry milling, preserving freshness.

This careful natural method allows the fruit's natural sugars and aromatics to infuse the bean, producing a cup of striking floral depth and fruit-forward sweetness.

THE CUP

An intensely aromatic and luscious natural that opens with delicate rose florals before cascading into the sticky sweetness of apricot jam and layered berry fruit. At 2100 MASL, the cup carries the classic brightness and complexity of Yirgacheffe alongside the full-bodied richness that natural processing brings. An exceptional expression of Ethiopian heritage.

Flavour Notes

🌸 Rose
🍑 Apricot Jam
🫐 Berry