Buku Hambela

Buku Hambela is produced by smallholder farmers in the Buku region of Hambela, within Ethiopia’s Guji zone, and processed at the Buku washing station operated by Esayas Bareso. Sitting at elevations reaching over 2300 masl, the area is known for producing some of the most intensely aromatic and refined coffees in Ethiopia. 

The landscape around Buku is rugged and elevated, with cool nights and slow cherry maturation contributing to dense seed structure and concentrated sweetness in the cup. 

Coffee growing here remains deeply traditional and highly labour intensive, with cherries selectively handpicked by surrounding smallholders before being delivered to the station for processing. At the washing station, cherries are carefully sorted and dried slowly on raised beds under close supervision, allowing the fruit character and florality typical of Guji coffees to develop with clarity and precision.

This lot is produced from a selection of Ethiopian varieties developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Centre (JARC) during the 1970s, specifically chosen for their cup quality, resilience and expressive fruit character. Following selective hand harvesting, the cherries are floated and sorted before being dried slowly on raised beds under careful supervision. Frequent turning throughout drying ensures even dehydration and helps preserve the clarity, sweetness and layered fruit complexity associated with the best natural coffees from Guji. 

In the cup, expect peach, grape candy and orange blossom. Candy-like sweetness with a juicy mouthfeel and bright acidity reveals a vibrant cup layered with floral citrus aromatics and soft stone fruit complexity.

Producer → Local smallholder farmers
Washing Station → Buku
Location → Guji, Ethiopia
Altitude → 2,300 masl
Varieties → JARC 74110, 74112, 74158 
Process → Natural

Roasted in Bristol, UK on August 10, 2026.
We find these coffees perform best at 2-6 weeks post-roast.