Ethiopia is where arabica coffee began, and its cup still tastes like nowhere else: jasmine and bergamot aromatics, blueberry or stone-fruit sweetness, a bright, tea-like finish. Three things explain it.
1. Heirloom varieties
Most Ethiopian coffee is grown from thousands of indigenous "heirloom" varieties rather than a handful of commercial ones. That genetic diversity is where the floral complexity comes from.
2. Altitude
Regions such as Yirgacheffe, Sidama and Guji sit between 1,800 and 2,200 metres. Cool nights slow ripening and concentrate sugars, which reads as brightness and sweetness in the cup.
3. Process
Washed lots are cleaner and more floral; natural (sun-dried in the fruit) lots are heavier, jammier and more berry-forward. KX Ethiopia Yirgacheffe is a washed lot — expect jasmine, blueberry and citrus.
How to brew it
Pour over or filter at 93–94°C, medium-fine grind, 15 g coffee to 250 g water. Let it cool a little — the florals open up.