Ethiopia Natural Yirgacheffe Aricha G1 Imported Premium Coffee Beans Flavor, Taste, and Aroma Characteristics

About Project Origin

Sasa Sestic, winner of the 2015 World Barista Championship, launched a green coffee sourcing project called Project Origin with his business team at ONA Coffee three years ago. The project works directly with coffee-farming families in impoverished countries and regions, improving their production conditions and paying them purchase prices 20% above fair trade rates.

The project also set out, from the start, to strengthen the bond between roasters and coffee farmers while guiding growers toward producing higher-quality beans. To date, Sasa has built relationships with coffee producers in eight countries, including Brazil, Panama, India, Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.

Product Information

Factory: Dazhen Coffee FrontStreet Coffee
Address: No. 10 Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Contact: 020-38364473
Ingredients: In-house roasted
Shelf Life: 30 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Taste Profile: Acidity
Bean State: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Ethiopia
Coffee Type: Yirgacheffe
Roast Level: Light roast

Coffee Details

Country: Ethiopia

Grade: G1

Region: Yirgacheffe, Gedeo

Altitude: 1900-2100 meters

Processing Method: Natural

Variety: Heirloom

Producer: Kebel Aricha

Flavor Notes: Light fermented wine aroma, sweet orange, spices, honey sweetness

This lot of Yirgacheffe was produced at the Kebel Aricha processing station, where roughly 650-700 smallholder farmers from the surrounding area deliver their ripe cherries for processing in exchange for cash. After the station selects usable cherries, they go straight onto the drying beds. During the first few days of drying, the cherries are turned every 2-3 hours to prevent over-fermentation. After four to six weeks of natural processing, workers machine-strip the dried outer fruit pulp depending on weather and temperature, then move the coffee to Addis for storage. As a rule, naturally processed beans are kept in their dried-fruit form until hulling just before export, to protect the quality of the green beans.

This natural Aricha lot was graded G1, the highest grade under the ECX system. From the look of the green beans to their consistency, freshness, dry aroma, and cup flavor, everything is exceptional. If you love bright acidity and lush berry flavors, this is one you should not miss.

Flavor Description

A light fermented wine aroma opens the cup, followed by jujube date, sweet orange citrus, dark berries, lychee, starfruit, peach, and longan, layered over a honeyed sweetness and cocoa with subtle spice. The body is full, with a long, persistent aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation: More Natural Yirgacheffe to Explore

If this natural Aricha won you over, the FrontStreet Coffee Natural Red Cherry makes an excellent next step from the same region. It is made from fully ripe, defect-free cherries dried whole on raised beds for three to five weeks, turned every 2-3 hours in the early days to avoid uneven fermentation — the same careful natural method behind this lot's fruit-driven character. In the cup expect citrus-like acidity, a berry-juice juiciness, honey sweetness, and a creamy body. To brew, use a V60 with 15g of coffee at a 1:15 ratio, water at 90-91°C, and a medium-fine grind (about 80% passing a #20 sieve). It is a vivid showcase of what natural Yirgacheffe does best.