Sidamo Nectar Bean Flavor and Sidamo Coffee Types and Prices

Shakisso stands apart within the Guji region of Sidamo, far from most of the coffee-producing areas of Sidamo province. The area's other famous industry is gold mining, and factors such as labor, land, and ethnicity have made this producing region turbulent. Even so, the coffee from here is quite special — Ninety Plus's legendary Nekisse also comes from this area.

Nectar literally means the nectar of Shakisso's flowers. Search Coffee Review with "Guji" as the keyword and you will find more than ten reviews scoring above 92 points, several of them as high as 94 and 95.

The Shakisso Region

Shakisso, in Guji in the southern Oromia region, borders Sidama and Gedeo. The area has many mine pits, originally dug for gold mining, so the coffee-growing land is full of them, which makes walking between plots genuinely hazardous. Shakisso is a unique producing area within Guji/Sidamo — even within Sidamo it is remote, far from most coffee-producing locations. Another famous local product is gold. Miners, land, and ethnicity also made the region turbulent in 2006. As a result, the biggest problem the region faces today is the manpower needed to maintain the growing areas and harvest the coffee. Local smallholders here began planting organic coffee in 2001 and work closely with medium-sized producers, because they know how to grow forest coffee in highland areas.

Cupping Notes

Dry Aroma

Sweet cherry, raisins, preserved fruits, preserved plums, dried pineapple, strawberry

Wet Aroma

Cherry, cranberry, sweet orange, plum, blueberry, honey peach, lychee

Sipping

The entry is like a sweet, juicy honey peach, with the acidity of sweet pineapple. The middle reveals dense aromas of cranberry, blueberry, strawberry, pineapple, and dried fruits that fill the mouth. The aftertaste brings lychee and plum, with the viscosity of dried fruit. The whole bean is like a tropical-fruit storm — elegant yet dominant, plunging you into an ocean of nectar, just as its name suggests.

Brewing Method

Pour-over Sidamo: 15 g of grounds, medium-fine grind (Fuji demon-tooth blade, setting 3.5), V60 dripper, water at 91-93°C. First pour 30 g of water and let it bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105 g and stop. Once the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, pour again. Pour slowly until you reach 225 g. Avoid the tail. Water-to-grounds ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Coffee Workshop
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227 g
Packaging: Bulk
Origin: Ethiopia

Sidamo Natural G1

Country: Sidamo

Grade: G1

Origin: Guji

Roast Level: Medium-light roast

Processing Method: Natural

Variety: Local heirloom

Region: Shakisso

Flavor Notes: Cranberry, sweet orange, plum, blueberry

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If this juicy, natural Guji profile appeals to you, FrontStreet Coffee's Hua Kui is a natural Sidama from the Hambella area of Guji. The farm covers 200 hectares and uses a traditional natural method: ripe cherries are dried on raised beds for 21 days, turned constantly for even drying, with defective and moldy beans hand-sorted every three to five days. The result, roasted medium-light, shows a light fermented-wine aroma, florals, citrus, and mango, with honey sweetness, a cocoa edge, and a little spice — a thick body and a long finish.

Also from Sidama, FrontStreet's Hamasho comes from the Hamasho processing station, best known for the 74-series disease-resistant varieties released by the JARC (Jimma Agricultural Research Center). The 74158 variety has rather small beans and stands out for its floral, fruity aromas: expect perfume-like lemon, strawberry, and star fruit on the nose, a clear sweet attack of strawberry, star fruit, and green grape, and delicate florals rising afterward.

For a cleaner, more citrus-driven expression of Ethiopia, FrontStreet's washed Yirgacheffe is the classic starting point — clear jasmine fragrance and bright citrus acidity, the profile baristas describe when they say Yirgacheffe tastes like a clean, refreshing glass of lemon tea.