Danche, Ethiopia

TASTE NOTES FOR DANCHE, ETHIOPIA

lemon, peach, florals, black tea, candied citrus

 

SOURCING INFO FOR DANCHE, ETHIOPIA

Southern Ethiopia’s coffee is renowned for its quality and crisp citrus and floral profiles. Much of the coffee comes from a boundary area known as the Gedeo Zone, which consists of seven woredas (districts). Many coffee producing communities are located in the Gedeb woreda, including the Worka Chelbesa community: home of the Danche washing station.

The washing station in Danche is one of two sites SNAP operates in Worka Chelbesa. We first had the opportunity to meet with Negusse Debela, the company’s owner, and the SNAP team when Blueprint member, Mike, went on an origin trip to Ethiopia in 2018. In addition to hosting many cupping sessions at SNAP’s headquarters, Negusse generously hosted Mike for Christmas dinner in Addis Ababa. Warm hospitality is one of countless fond memories from this trip.

When SNAP first began its coffee operations, they invested in Worka Chelbesa because of the community’s reputation for superior offerings. SNAP’s journey into the world of specialty coffee is a particularly unique one, with the company beginning in technology as a computer parts importer. Negusse had a transformative experience with a pour-over coffee at a café in Minnesota and was inspired to take his company in a new direction — guided by the immense potential of Ethiopia’s coffee-growing communities.

Traditional underwater fermentation is common in Ethiopia, but this lot uses both wet and dry fermentation before being washed and dried. The resulting cup is clean and delicate with fruity tones of candied citrus and peach, which are further enhanced by floral aromatics and a black-tea-like aftertaste.