Bensa - Ethiopia, Natural

KIYALO – Citrus fruit flavours with notes of orchard fruits and floral teas Bensa, Sidama, Natural From Bensa district of Sidama, Ethiopia, this coffee is produced by smallholder farmers cultivating indigenous Ethiopian landrace varieties at approximately 2,200 metres above sea level. The combination of high elevation, fertile soils and alternating rainy seasons creates an environment well suited to slow cherry maturation and expressive, delicate coffees. Shantawene sits between the villages of Bombe and Bombe Mountain. Many producers here are small-scale “garden farmers,” growing coffee around their homes and harvesting from trees naturally established on their land. This traditional farming structure reflects the deep relationship between coffee cultivation and everyday agricultural life in the region. Natural Process Ripe cherries are handpicked by local smallholder producers before being delivered for processing. For this natural lot, the whole cherries are carefully density sorted, hand sorted on drying tables and slowly dried under the Ethiopian sun until they reach the desired moisture level. After drying, the coffee is dry-hulled and prepared for milling and export. This relatively simple but carefully controlled natural process preserves the fruit character of the coffee while allowing the inherent qualities of the high-altitude Ethiopian varieties to remain clear and refined. In the Cup Expect a delicate combination of floral honey, peach and round pear. Floral honey provides a soft aromatic sweetness, while ripe peach brings gentle stone-fruit vibrancy through the centre of the cup. Round pear gives the profile a fresh, mellow fruit quality without becoming overly intense. The body remains light and elegant, with a silky mouthfeel that carries the flavours smoothly across the palate. Rather than emphasizing heavy fermentation or powerful fruit intensity, this coffee is about delicacy and balance, sweet, refined and composed from beginning to finish. Origin: Bensa, Sidama, Ethiopia Producers: Smallholder farmers Varieties: Ethiopian Heirloom Process: Natural Drying: Raised drying beds Altitude: 2,200 masl Tasting Notes: Floral Honey · Peach · Round Pear