Natural Process Sidamo Shakicho G1 Guji Nectar Premium Coffee Beans Cultivation Geography Climate

Sidamo Natural G1

Country: Ethiopia (Sidamo)

Grade: G1

Origin: Guji

Roast Level: Medium-Light

Processing Method: Natural

Variety: Local Landrace

Region: Shakicha

Flavor Notes: Cranberry, Sweet Orange, Plum, Blueberry

Regional Profile

Shakicha is one of the most distinctive growing zones inside Guji, Sidamo. It sits far from most of the province's coffee areas, and the local economy has long been tied to gold mining. With labor, land, and ethnic tensions all in the mix, the region has been anything but stable, which makes its remarkable coffee all the more impressive. This is also the home terroir of Nekisse, the legendary lot that made Ninety Plus famous.

The name "Nectar" is a nod to Shakicha's reputation as the nectar of Guji. Search for "Guji" on Coffee Review and you will find more than ten lots scored 92 points or above, several of them landing at 94 and 95.

Shakisso, in southern Oromia, borders Sidama and Gedeo. Abandoned gold pits dot the landscape here, so walking between coffee plots can be genuinely hazardous. Alongside coffee, gold mining is the region's other famous product, and in 2006 the combination of miners, land disputes, and ethnic factors left the area unstable. Today the biggest challenge is simply securing enough hands to maintain the fields and harvest the crop. Local smallholders began growing organic coffee here in 2001, and they work closely with medium-sized producers because those partners understand how to cultivate highland forest coffee properly.

Tasting Notes

[Dry Aroma] Sweet cherry, raisin, preserved fruit, preserved plum, dried pineapple, strawberry

[Wet Aroma] Cherry, cranberry, sweet orange, plum, blueberry, honey peach, lychee

[Sipping] The first sip lands like juicy honey peach, carried by a sweet pineapple acidity. Through the mid-palate, cranberry, blueberry, strawberry, pineapple, and dried fruit build into an intense, layered aroma that fills the mouth. Lychee and plum linger on the finish with a dried-fruit viscosity. The whole cup plays out like a tropical fruit tempest—elegant yet assertive—living up to a name that promises an ocean of nectar.

Product Information

Factory Name: Coffee Workshop

Factory Address: FrontStreet Coffee, 10 Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City

Manufacturer Contact: 020-38364473

Shelf Life: 90 days

Net Weight: 227g

Packaging: Bulk

Origin: Ethiopia

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If this Guji nectar lot speaks to you, FrontStreet Coffee's naturally processed Huakui from the Hambella zone of Guji, Sidamo, is an easy next step. The 200-hectare farm relies on traditional natural processing: ripe cherries are laid out on raised drying beds for 21 days, turned constantly for even drying, with defective or moldy cherries hand-picked out every three to five days. Roasted medium-light, it opens with a faint fermented wine note, florals, and citrus before mango arrives; the cup is noticeably denser and more complex, with honeyed sweetness, a cocoa undertone touched by spice, a thick body, and a long finish.

Another natural worth trying is FrontStreet's Yirgacheffe Red Cherry lot. Only fully ripe, all-red cherries are selected, then dried in the sun for roughly two weeks until the moisture content drops to 12%—the drying fruit and sugars feeding flavor back into the bean. After milling, the beans pass density and color sorting plus a final hand-pick, so each batch is remarkably clean. Roasted medium-light, it shows peach, cocoa, honey, and lemon.

New to Ethiopian coffee? Start with FrontStreet's washed Yirgacheffe. Expect a clear jasmine fragrance and bright citrus acidity—the gentle, tea-like character often described as a clean, refreshing lemon tea. It is the perfect on-ramp before exploring the more fruit-forward naturals.