Ethiopia | Huke | Kurume & Wolisho Natural

Other Information 

Washing Station: Huke
Washing Station Owner: Faysel A. Yonis

This vibrant natural lot comes from Huke, a washing station situated in the highlands of the Gedeo Zone, within the Yirgacheffe woreda of Ethiopia. Located in the kebele of Banko Gotiti at 2,100m above sea level, the station was built in 2021 as a dedicated premium processing site and benefits from ideal growing conditions—high elevation, consistent rainfall, clean water access, and rich biodiversity.

Freshly picked cherries are delivered daily during harvest by around 500 independent smallholders from Banko Gotiti and surrounding kebeles such as Chelba, Chelchele and Chelbessai. Farms in this area are tiny—typically under one hectare—and managed with traditional, organic farming practices. Coffee grows intercropped with corn, bananas and other food crops, under the shade of native trees like Birbira, Wanza and Acacia. Cool temperatures and elevations reaching 2,200m mean cherries ripen slowly, resulting in dense seeds and beautifully complex flavour development.

At Huke, lots are separated by village, and this one comes exclusively from Banko Gotiti. It was produced under a quality-driven initiative known as the Premium Cherry Selection (PCS) program, which rewards producers for delivering only the ripest, highest-quality fruit. The result is a cup that stands out for its clarity, vibrancy and sweetness.

Processing Details
This lot was processed using the natural (dry) method. After careful sorting in flotation tanks and by hand, cherries were dried on raised beds in thin layers about 5cm thick. They were turned 5–6 times per day, protected from the midday sun and covered at night to guard against dew. Drying took around 15–21 days depending on weather conditions, after which the coffee was hulled and rested in parchment prior to export. This meticulous attention to detail helps preserve the integrity and sweetness of the cup, and the lot is graded as Grade 1—Ethiopia’s highest classification.

About Gedeo & Yirgacheffe
The Gedeo zone, in Ethiopia’s Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region (SNNPR), is home to some of the country’s most celebrated coffee-producing areas, including Yirgacheffe, Kochere, and Gedeb. Though sometimes grouped under Sidama historically, Yirgacheffe has earned its own recognition thanks to the singular flavour profiles that emerge from the region’s unique terroir: acidic, iron-rich soils; heirloom varieties; and layered agroforestry systems where coffee thrives among native shade trees.

Farming here is typically small-scale, with families tending coffee gardens using mostly organic methods. The climate—15–18°C with abundant rainfall—is perfect for slow, even cherry development, and coffees from this area are prized for their tea-like body, floral aromatics and refined acidity.

Varieties
This lot features local landrace varieties Kurume and Wolisho—two of several beloved cultivars native to Ethiopia’s southern coffee forests. Often lumped into the catch-all term “heirloom,” these varieties are in fact carefully propagated and regionally distinct. Their contribution to cup character is significant, with Kurume bringing elegance and florals, and Wolisho adding structure and fruit.

Why We’re Excited About This Coffee
Huke Natural is everything we love about high-grown Yirgacheffe coffees. It’s delicate and layered, with bright peach and raspberry sweetness and a refined Earl Grey tea finish. A brilliant showcase of terroir, tradition and careful processing—all coming together in the cup.