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Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Washed Woka Heirloom Specialty Coffee Beans: Growing Conditions, Geographic Location, and Climate

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Variety: Local Heirloom | Processing Station: Woka Cooperative | Flavor Notes: Lemon, Kumquat, White Grape Juice Yirgacheffe itself is a small town with approximately 20,000 inhabitants. The three neighboring small producing areas of Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena Abaya, because their coffee flavors are almost identical to those of Yirgacheffe, are similarly classified within the Yirgacheffe regional category.

Basic Information

Variety: Local Landrace

Processing Station: Worka Cooperative

Flavor: Lemon, Kumquat, White Grape Juice

Yirgacheffe Region Overview

Yirgacheffe itself is a small town with approximately 20,000 residents. The three neighboring small producing regions—Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena Abaya—are also classified under the Yirgacheffe region because their coffee flavors are virtually identical to those from Yirgacheffe. Both culturally and geographically, Yirgacheffe is similar to its neighbor Sidamo, but Yirgacheffe seems to be especially favored with exceptionally advantageous conditions. Top-quality Yirgacheffe coffee features floral notes, bright citrus fruit acidity, lemon-toned aromas, and a silky smooth mouthfeel.

Processing Method Characteristics

Compared to the traditional sun-processed Harar region, sun-processed Yirgacheffe is not common. As the first region in Ethiopia to host a washed processing station, coffee lovers are more familiar with the washed Yirgacheffe renowned for its elegant lemon and citrus character.

Coffee processed using the washed method is less likely to carry wild flavors, possessing pure and refreshing characteristics that are suitable for light roast levels. This washed Ethiopian coffee can achieve the highest G1 grade, indicating very few defects.

Farm Introduction

This bean comes from a single farm in Ethiopia, processed by the Worka Cooperative. Alemayehu Alako Farm is a member of the Worka Cooperative.

The Worka Cooperative is located in the southern part of Gedeb district, established in 2005 and joined the prestigious Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU) the same year. It is renowned for producing high-quality sun-processed Yirgacheffe coffee. The Worka Cooperative has approximately 300 coffee farmers under its umbrella. YCFCU was established in 2002 and includes 26 other cooperatives, serving over 45,000 coffee farmers.

Flavor Profile

The flavor features distinct floral notes, with rich citrus aromas in both dry and wet fragrance. The front palate presents lemon, kumquat, white grape juice, and other diverse flavors. The middle to back palate shows intense citrus sweetness and acidity, with a soda-like rich sweetness and distinct, prominent character—quite rare to encounter.