Kayon Mountain

Kayon Mountain is a natural from Ethiopia's Guji zone, roasted by our friends at The Barn in Berlin, and it's every bit as floral as it is fruity.

Ismael Hassen Aredo and his family have run the farm since 2012 in Guji's Shakiso district, about 510 kilometers south of Addis Ababa. It covers 500 hectares, roughly 300 of them planted in coffee, with 25 people on staff year-round and around 300 more brought on for the harvest. The farm also provides free transport for its workers and helps fund local schools.

Cherries reach the Kayon Mountain washing station the same day they're picked. There they're cleaned and graded, then laid out whole on raised beds and turned constantly through a dry that can stretch to 25 days, depending on the weather. That speed and attention help keep the fruit tasting fresh rather than overripe.

Strawberry and apricot come through first, with a bit of dried mango behind them, while jasmine and honeysuckle float over a velvety body. A long vanilla sweetness carries the finish, and there's enough of it to go well beyond a hot cup: poured over ice, the florals stay bright and the fruit turns crisp, and with milk, the strawberry and vanilla hold their own.

Producer → Ismael Hassen Aredo
Farm → Kayon Mountain
Location → Shakiso, Guji, Ethiopia
Variety → Mixed Heirloom
Altitude → 2,145 masl
Process → Natural