La Cabra – Ethipoia Boledu Washed (250g)

29/10/2021 :تاريخ الحمص
An interesting expression of Yirgacheffe, with typical citrus and floral aromas atop a heavier chocolatey base

• Region: Yirgacheffe
• Producer – Boledu Coffee
• Altitude: 1800 masl
• Varietal: Heirloom
• Process: Washed
• Harvest: January 2021

Boledu is a rather interesting lot for us. The journey this lot took really illustrates some of the difficulties faced in sourcing this year, together with our partners on the ground in Ethiopia. As some of you may have heard, 2021 started in a rather turbulent fashion in Ethiopia. While Ethiopia was still reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in late 2020, the northern Tigray region held an election in defiance of the central Ethiopian government. The central government had postponed the general elections due to the effects of the pandemic, but after years of political tensions between the Tigray people and several other factions within Ethiopia, the regional government in Tigray decided to proceed with the elections, effectively as a protest against the current prime minister. The Ethiopian government deemed this move illegal, and the rhetoric was escalated to clashes between Tigray and Ethiopian forces in November 2020, just as coffee harvest was beginning further south. The conflict is ongoing, and has led to a deep humanitarian crisis, especially in the north of the country. This, alongside the effects of the pandemic, has led to great difficulty in logistics for coffee farmers across Ethiopia, and uncertainty in many areas of their lives. At the same time, the coffee industry in the west was also suffering the effects of Covid, with a great demand for high quality lots, but less confidence in buying decisions than in previous years. Uncertainty in future demand is a difficult factor when coffee buying decisions are often made months in advance. This lot was created by Boledu Coffee, a young and innovative coffee exporter founded in 2018 by two friends, Abiyot Ageze and Mebrahtu Aynalem. As a young company, this uncertainty was particularly difficult for them to work around, without the solid financial foundation of a more mature exporter. To keep up with demand in a year of slightly patchy supply due to the situation in Tigray, they had to blend together lots from mills that they work with to create lots large enough to export to clients like us. This lot is a blend from three different mills, all in the Yirgacheffe region. Due to uncertainty in the market, Boledu actually struggled to find a buyer for this rather large lot initially, but we were impressed by the quality that they were able to deliver. Finally, just as the lot was due to leave Ethiopia for Europe in March, the Suez Canal was blocked for several days as the container ship Ever Given ran aground, causing havoc in international container traffic. We have especially noticed a delay on our East African lots, meaning we still have many interesting Ethiopian arrivals to look forward to later in the year.

A coffee affected by several crises, finally arriving in Europe; Boledu is a new expression of Ethiopia for us. While it is washed and showcases the typical floral and delicate aromas, the cup itself is heavier than expected, with notes of chocolate and stewed plum.

• Minimum resting period:
  Filter 7 days
  Espresso 14 days