Ethiopia Guji Hambella Benti Nenka G1 Natural
Coffee Flavor
The flavors of coffee are derived from the breakdown of various nutrients in the green coffee beans during roasting. Heat causes these compounds to degrade into a variety of aromatic molecular structures, resulting in a wide spectrum of flavors. High-quality coffee beans naturally possess a rich aroma that evolves at different temperatures—high, medium, and low—offering a delightful and nuanced experience worth savoring.
Ethiopia Guji Hambella Benti Nenka G1 Natural
Strawberry, pineapple, red cherry, with a creamy, rich, and syrupy mouthfeel, followed by a lingering berry and cherry finish
(Benti Nenka)
Located at elevations between 1,900 and 2,300 meters above sea level, Benti Nenka sits at an average altitude even higher than Yirgacheffe, making it one of the key factors behind the rapid rise of the Guji region. The washing station sources coffee cherries from over 700 smallholder farmers whose farms are situated in these high-altitude areas. The small-scale farming practices allow these farmers to focus meticulously on the growth of their coffee trees, ensuring the production of high-quality coffee. The region's natural terroir endows these coffees with explosive flavor profiles, giving them a strong competitive edge in the international market.
Here, they work closely with smallholder farmers through vertical integration. This collaborative model not only enhances the quality of the coffee but also contributes to the development of the local economy. Benti Nenka Washing Station and the surrounding farmers strive together to ensure that every coffee bean expresses the unique flavor characteristics of the Guji region.
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Introduction to Ethiopia Guji Hambela Region
Ethiopia carries a coffee legacy that spans millennia. After the discovery of coffee in the Kaffa region, coffee cultivation gradually expanded to southwestern Ethiopia and the Harar region. Among the newly developed coffee-growing areas in the past decade is the emerging Guji region. Today, Guji is primarily divided into three sub-regions: Uraga, Hambela, and Shakiso.
The smallholder farmers surrounding the washing stations mainly cultivate newer coffee varieties. With elevations exceeding 2,000 meters, the natural terroir bestows these coffees with captivating and distinctive flavor profiles. Guji belongs to southwestern Ethiopia, characterized by highland terrain with well-defined dry and rainy seasons. Abundant water sources, including small rivers and underground mountain springs near the washing stations, ensure a reliable and clean water supply for processing top-quality washed coffees. These optimal conditions allow heirloom varieties to fully express their purest coffee flavors. The rise of Guji has become one of the most significant trends in Ethiopia’s coffee development in recent years.
Hambela, located within Guji at elevations reaching up to 2,300 meters, is home to traditional forest-dwelling communities. To maintain harmony with nature, coffee cherry harvesting takes place between September and December each year. Most Ethiopian coffee farms are nestled within wild, ancient forests, where coffee has been cultivated and passed down for generations. Farmers often intercrop indigenous banana plants with native coffee tree varieties, while livestock such as cattle, sheep, and horses roam freely in the forest. With centuries of inherited experience, these families possess remarkable precision in post-harvest processing.
In Hambela, only the ripest, sugar-laden cherries—vivid red turning nearly black—are carefully handpicked. The cherries are then laid out to dry on traditional African raised beds woven from bamboo. Despite the high altitude, the intense ultraviolet sunlight allows for effective sun-drying, with the cherries being continuously turned by hand until perfectly dried over several days.
Such exceptional geographical advantages and meticulous processing methods give rise to Guji’s vibrant and expressive coffee profiles. This is why the Guji region has rapidly gained worldwide recognition and become one of Ethiopia’s most talked-about and dynamic coffee-producing areas in recent years.
Arabica Coffee Variety – 74114
The coffee tree, botanically classified under the Rubiaceae family and the Coffea subgenus, is an evergreen tree. Coffee beans are the seeds of the coffee fruit. There are three main varieties: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. These three varieties cannot crossbreed to produce different subspecies. The world’s specialty coffee comes from the Arabica variety, and within Arabica, there are various subspecies resulting from evolution, hybridization, and mutation.
Arabica coffee originates from Ethiopia in Africa. To this day, there are hundreds and thousands of wild coffee species within Ethiopia, many of which grow year-round in pristine forests. These indigenous wild species have undergone countless local evolutions, including hybridization, mutation, and crossbreeding, resulting in a vast gene pool of native varieties known as the Arabica gene pool. The native varieties produced within Ethiopia are referred to as Heirloom (古優原生種).
In the 20th century, Ethiopia launched a series of official initiatives to search for, test, and classify coffee varieties. In 1974 and 1975, improved coffee varieties resistant to coffee berry disease (CBD) were discovered. The naming of these varieties follows a two-part system: the first part indicates the year of development, such as "74" or "75," which is why varieties like 74110, 74112, 74158, and 74114 have become increasingly common today. The second part, such as the numbers 110 or 112, represents the batch code for the specific variety. Collectively, these varieties are referred to as the JARC 74/75 series, with JARC standing for the Jimma Agricultural Research Center.
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Grade 1 (G1) - is the highest grade in Ethiopia’s coffee grading system.
(Coffee Processes)
The term "processing methods" refers to the process of transforming ripe red coffee cherries into dried green beans. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, influenced by the natural environment and the specific needs of the coffee-producing region. As a result, different regions adopt the processing method most suited to their conditions. This batch uses the following natural processing methods, described below:
【Natural / Sundried / Dry Processed】
Also known as the natural drying method or unwashed process, the natural process is one of the most traditional and widely used methods of coffee processing. This method does not involve the use of water. Originating in Ethiopia, coffee cherries are harvested and laid out to dry under the sun before being hulled. The seeds remain inside the fruit throughout the extended drying period, absorbing flavors from the skin, pulp, and mucilage. This process enhances the coffee's sweetness and body, often resulting in unique and distinctive aromas.
Producers spread the cherries on drying beds, which may consist of terraces or raised platforms. Over the course of 3 to 6 weeks, the cherries undergo fermentation. Producers turn the cherries regularly to ensure even drying and to prevent spoilage. During this time, the sugars in the fruit and the mucilage adhered to the seeds develop complex flavors, contributing to a sweeter profile.
Once dried, the fruit layers are mechanically removed from the seeds. Natural-processed coffee is often juicy and syrupy, with a rich flavor that makes the effort behind this method well worth it.
JUSTIN INTERNATIONAL FOOD ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
Tel: +886-3-358-6611
1st Floor, No. 30, Lane 120, Daxing Road, Taoyuan District, Taoyuan City
▶This product is covered by a NT$10 million product liability insurance.
▶Food Industry Registration Number: F-165601955-00000-0
▶ Our company’s cupper is certified as a CQI International Coffee Quality Appraiser.
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