Ethiopia
“Yirgacheffee”   MAO   Lot No. 0078

One of the great coffees of the world, regardless of how it’s spelled or pronounced.  Many in the trade say “YERG-ah-cheff,” but Ethiopians pronounce it more like “YERG-ah-cheff-ay.”  This bag spells the name with two Es at the end; most sources use one. 

Yirgacheffe is a lush and verdant locality in the center of the Sidamo State in south central Ethiopia.  This is the source of the finest washed coffees in the country, and some would say, the world.  The site is not far from the equator, and coffee here is grown productively at a higher elevation than anywhere else in the world.  King Haile Selassie had a summer home nearby, in the cool tropical highlands.

The bags of this lot are stenciled with the mark MAO.  These are the initials of Mohamed Abdullahi Ogsadey, a legendary Ethiopian coffee trader who passed away early in 2006.  His sons now carry on his business, the most highly regarded in the region.

Personal Appraisal:  If I had to choose one coffee to be stranded on a desert island with, it would have to be Yirgacheffe.  This lot is very fine; plenty of subtle complexity, reserved richness, silky soft texture and palate-friendly flavor.  There are savory notes, sweet chocolaty tones, delicate floral aromas and restrained fruitiness of both citrus and wine-like character.