Introduction to the Origin, Development, History, and Culture of Ethiopian Sidamo Natural Process Guji Specialty Coffee Beans

Shakisso, in the Guji Zone of Ethiopia's Oromia region, sits along the southern border with Sidama and Gedeo. The landscape here bears the scars of an old gold rush: abandoned mining pits are scattered across the coffee-growing hills, which makes simply walking between plots genuinely hazardous. Shakisso is a distinctive corner of Guji/Sidamo—remote even by Sidamo standards, far from most of the region's better-known coffee areas—and gold remains one of its most famous products. A combination of miners, contested land, and ethnic tension also kept the area unstable as recently as 2006, and its greatest challenge today is securing the labor needed to maintain plantations and bring in the harvest. Local smallholder farmers began cultivating organic coffee here in 2001, working closely with mid-sized producers who understand how to manage forest coffee at high altitude.

Flavor Profile

Lemon, mango, blueberry, and a wine-like aroma

Bean Information

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Shakisso, Guji Zone

Altitude: 1800–2000 meters

Process: Natural

Variety: Local heirloom

Producers: Local smallholder farmers

Ethiopian Sidamo Guji Shakisso Natural

The coffees of Sidamo are extraordinarily diverse. Varying soil composition, localized microclimates, and countless native varieties mean that each town's coffee carries its own unmistakable character. The Sidama coffee region lies in southern Ethiopia, where agriculture dominates the economy and the coffee zones ring the Great Rift Valley.

Shakisso coffee is remarkable in its own right, and its output reliably draws attention at auction and on the specialty market. The legendary Ninety Plus lot "Nekisse" takes its name from "Nectar from Shakisso"—both the name and the coffee's origin trace straight back to this district.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and its wealth of native heirloom varieties makes it a treasure trove for anyone chasing distinctive flavors. A great starting point is the FrontStreet washed Yirgacheffe: expect a clear jasmine fragrance and bright citrus acidity—what baristas mean when they describe Yirgacheffe as elegant, tea-like, and clean, like a refreshing lemon tea from a misty, spring-like town in the country's south.

If you prefer fruit-forward naturals, the FrontStreet Red Cherry Project natural undergoes a rigorous selection process: damaged or moldy cherries are removed first, then the lot dries in the sun for two full weeks until moisture drops to 12%, after which the dried pulp is milled away and every bean is screened by density, color, and hand sorting. The cup delivers peach, cocoa, honey, and lemon. For something richer, the FrontStreet flower-queen (Hua Kui) natural comes from the Hambella area of Guji, Sidamo, where a 200-hectare farm dries cherries on raised beds for 21 days, turning them constantly and hand-removing defects every three to five days. Roasted medium-light, it shows a gentle fermented wine aroma, florals, citrus, and mango, with a thick body and long honeyed, cocoa-spice finish.