This coffee comes from Agaro, in western Ethiopia, where harvest typically begins earlier than in other regions—starting in October and running through January. In a normal year, that means we can get it on the water sooner, bringing fresh Ethiopian coffees to you earlier. This year, however, was challenging due to factors like armed conflicts in the area.

Around 500 smallholder farmers contribute to the Yukro washing station, where cherries are collected, sorted, and fermented. Each producer may deliver just a dozen bags of cherry, yielding only about three bags of exportable green coffee. Lots are assembled based on harvest timing rather than inherent quality, though we tend to prefer coffees from the middle to late harvest. That said, coffee is a living product—there are always exceptions.

Yukro and other Western Ethiopian coffees tend to have a flavor profile driven by stone fruit, especially compared to coffees like Chelbessa. But with Ethiopian Landrace varieties, there’s always some florality in the cup.