230 Ethiopia Wuri Natural

"Gedeb Worka"

The Gedeo Zone, located in the eastern part of the Yirgacheffe region, is divided into six districts, one of which is the Gedeb district. Situated 434 km from the capital Addis Ababa, this area was once a remote location that took nearly 8 hours to reach by car. However, the opening of a new road in 2016 has reduced the travel time to approximately 3 hours. The region is highly suitable for coffee production, with coffee being planted on nearly a quarter of the land. Gedeb is further subdivided into 16 administrative areas, one of which is Worka Sakaro. This area, characterized by well-drained slopes and lush greenery, is ideal for natural farming. Notably, many enset (false banana) trees grow around the coffee plants. As the leaves fall, they decompose and ferment, enriching the soil with nitrogen and making it even more fertile.

The name "Worka" in the local Gedeo language means "gold." When a subordinate of Ethiopia’s last emperor, Haile Selassie, visited this area, he was deeply impressed by the warm hospitality of the people, leading him to refer to it as the "land of gold." Since the 2019 crop season, the Worka Sakaro washing station has been owned by Ranger, a subsidiary of BNT. With a goal of producing even higher-quality Yirgacheffe coffee, they have employed skilled staff with appropriate wages, ensuring careful processing and drying stages.

This natural process coffee was slowly dried over the course of 20 days. Great effort has been put into educating staff on meticulous defect bean removal and slow drying on African beds. These efforts have contributed to the cup's cleanliness and have led to further improvements in quality.

"BNT"

BNT is a local exporter in Ethiopia, handling high-quality coffee from Yirgacheffe. The company is led by two presidents, Bile and Teddy. Teddy first gained experience in the coffee business at another company and later invited his university classmate Bile, who was then working in international development, to establish BNT. Since their inception, their motto has been "PAY FAIR GET FINEST."

In the early days, the quality was not very high, and they struggled with financing. However, both founders loved visiting customers and drinking coffee, always listening to feedback and continuously improving their coffee. Today, they have exclusive contracts with 45 washing stations in Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, and Guji, while also owning several washing stations as subsidiaries. They ensure high-quality, uniquely characteristic coffee through practices like pre-harvest advance payments to farmers, harvesting ripe cherries, proper washing processes, slow drying, and precise sorting at their own hulling and processing plant. To further reduce defect beans, they have added a new color sorter and are expanding the plant for more space and improved production efficiency. Their willingness to adapt and embrace feedback has led to significant quality improvements. 

The Uri village is located in the highest area of Gedeb, Worka Sakaro, and offers a delightful aroma with complex acidity. This time, we have crafted a vibrant dark roast that preserves the sweet aroma and acidity while also providing a touch of bitterness for your enjoyment. We carefully managed the temperature from the beginning to after the first crack, ensuring a pleasant mouthfeel.

For the best experience, we recommend waiting two weeks after the roasting date before opening the bag. Initially, you will taste the bitterness typical of a dark roast, reminiscent of dark chocolate. Then, a sweet flavor gradually unfolds, reminiscent of grapes and yellow peaches, with a lingering sweetness in the aftertaste. The syrup-like smooth, velvety liquid binds the sweetness, acidity, and bitterness together, creating a perfect balance. As the temperature drops, the fruity notes become more pronounced, so you won’t want to miss the changes in flavor.

This is a dark roast you’ll want to take your time with, ideally enjoyed from a slightly thick-rimmed cup. A vibrant and sweet dark roast from Ethiopia, packed with Philocoffea’s signature style.