We’ve been waiting for this day since Reuben was in Ethiopia tasting new coffees back at the start of 2017 — the first of the fresh crop of Ethiopians are here!

It takes a while for coffee to make its way from the growing regions out of the country and through Djibouti to get to port and then by sea to us in Sydney, so we’re always excited to see the first bags arrive at the warehouse and taste the first roast… and now to share it with you.

There are around 850 smallholder farmers who supply coffee to the Gigesa Washing Station in Shakisso, in the Oromia region of Ethiopia.

The average farm is around 2.5 hectares and planted with corn, grains, and false banana, alongside coffee, and often under shade trees such as Birbira, Wanza, and Acacia.

The wet mill uses clean river water to process the washed coffee, which is fermented in tanks for 48 hours before being washed clean of its mucilage and dried on raised beds.

Like most of the crops from Ethiopia, this is a mix of locally grown varietals referred to as Ethiopian Heirloom. This is the birthplace of coffee, so unlike places where coffee is introduced as a crop, here farmers often cultivate the trees growing naturally on their property.

We hope you enjoy the Gigesa as much as we are at the roastery right now. There's some more new origins lined up for the next few deliveries so there's plenty more to come!