Introduction to Yirgacheffe Guji Shakisso Dasaya and Yirgacheffe Coffee Characteristics

Dasaya's original name in Ethiopia is Dawala Samayawi, which means "purple wind chime." True to its name, this coffee evokes images of purple and blue fruits when tasted, filled with sweet pink-purple bubbles. The rich, sweet aroma of blueberries and grapes is tantalizingly juicy, the intoxicating floral fragrance of violets delights the senses, and the finish carries subtle hints of lavender—crisp and cool like wind chimes—adding a refreshing, wonderful character to this passionate natural processed coffee.

Guji-Shakisso lies southeast of the renowned Yirgacheffe region. Administratively it belongs to the Oromia Region → Guji Zone → Shakisso woreda, making these beans of regional origin.

Thanks to its superior geographical location and flavor profile, Guji was established as an independent producing region by the ECX in 2010. Shakisso is the most attractive micro-region within Guji, with an average altitude above 1,800 meters, fertile black soil, and significant day-night temperature swings. Production comes from individual smallholders who harvest fully ripe red cherries from nearby trees and deliver them to processing stations. The beans are placed on well-ventilated African raised beds to control temperature and fermentation, and after post-processing and resting are complete, the coffee is exported through the ECX commodity exchange bidding system.

Coffee from Guji-Shakisso is quite distinctive. The legendary "Nekisse" launched by Ninety Plus in late 2009 originally meant "nectar from Shakisso"—both its origin and its name derive from Shakisso. Another variety, "Derar Ela," from the same Shakisso region and launched by Level Up, also won wide acclaim the following year and achieved an outstanding 95 points in Coffee Review's April 2014 issue.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Recommendations:

Pour-over: V60 dripper, grind with a Fuji R440 at 3.5, water temperature around 90°C

French Press: Recommended grind setting 4, water temperature 90°C

Siphon: Recommended grind setting 4, water temperature 90°C-91°C

AeroPress: Recommended grind setting 3.5, water temperature 90°C

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For a Guji-Shakisso natural like Dasaya, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe-family beans make a fine companion on the shelf. FrontStreet's washed Yirgacheffe daily-drinker is the classic introduction to the region, with white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like body at an everyday price. FrontStreet's washed Gudingding Cooperative, in the Woka area at Yirgacheffe's southeastern edge, follows the most traditional washed processing—the cooperative is known as Yirgacheffe's last pure land—and delivers clean, bright citrus and lemon acidity with jasmine fragrance and none of the traditional bitterness. If you enjoy the fruitier side, FrontStreet's natural Red Cherry is made from fully ripe fruit only, sun-dried on raised beds for three to five weeks with frequent turning early on, so it keeps the typical Yirgacheffe profile while adding natural-process tropical fruit: citrus-like acidity, a berry-juice body, honey sweetness, and creamy smoothness. Brew them as you would this Dasaya—a V60 at 90°C or a French press, siphon, or AeroPress at 90-91°C—and the delicate floral and fruit aromas come through beautifully.