Ethiopia Bona Zuria – Cherry-Dried Green Coffee (1 kg)

Origin: Bona Zuria, Sidama
Producer: 1,022 smallholder farmers, Abore Station
Growing altitude: 1,920–2,020 meters above sea level
Varieties: 74110, 74112
Process: Berry-dried
Harvested: 2025/2026

High up in the lush mountains of Bona Zuria, in the heart of Sidama, lies Abore Station —named after a bridge that was once dedicated to a local chieftain. Here, at a dizzying altitude of 1,920 to 2,020 meters, 1,022 smallholder farmers deliver their ripe berries to one of the most acclaimed producers of Ethiopian specialty coffee. Sidama is one of the country’s three major coffee-growing regions, and it is at precisely these altitudes—where the nights are cold and the ripening process is painstakingly slow—that the beans have time to develop the concentrated sweetness and aromatic density that make the region’s finest lots so highly sought after.

The names 74110 and 74112 are not standard variety designations. They are selections developed at the Jimma Agricultural Research Center, and the numbers tell their own story: the first two digits, 74, stand for the year 1974, when the material was selected from wild heirloom varieties in the forests around Bonga. These compact plants with their small berries are particularly well-adapted to extreme altitudes such as this one, and are now considered among Ethiopia’s most disease-resistant and consistently aromatic selections. After harvest, the lot is sun-dried on 25-meter-long beds for 16 to 25 days, with constant turning and controlled fermentation where the skin and pulp are left intact. The green coffee has a very high density and responds best to a light roast —it is simply too delicate to be hidden in a darker profile. Filter coffee is the first choice, but since this is a sun-dried coffee, it’s also fantastic for those who have mastered making espresso with light-roasted beans.

In the cup, this is a balanced and full-bodied coffee with a soft floral note. Dark chocolate meets dried figs and a delicate almond note, while vanilla rests softly in the background. The mouthfeel is round and velvety, and it’s precisely the balance between the dark sweetness and the light floral notes that makes this lot so appealing. An elegant cup where every sip reveals new nuances—a green coffee for the home roaster who wants to explore high-altitude Sidama in its berry-dried, most nuanced form.

This green coffee arrived at the roastery on June 18, 2026, and is from the 2025/2026 harvest.