From source to sip
The story behind your next cup.
From Guji's Shakiso district comes coffee grown on indigenous heirloom roots at elevations where fruit complexity builds slowly. This lot from the Mormora estate captures what made Guji earn recognition apart from Sidamo, bold berry notes balanced by chocolate depth.
Shakiso sits in the Guji zone of southern Ethiopia, where coffee grows at elevations of roughly 1,800 to 2,000 meters. The conditions reward patience: deep red volcanic soil, indigenous heirloom varieties that evolved locally over centuries, and slow cherry development at altitude that concentrates sugars and builds complexity in the cup.
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The Coffee Story
The SourceShakiso's Indigenous Roots
Shakiso sits in the Guji zone of southern Ethiopia, where coffee grows at elevations of roughly 1,800 to 2,000 meters. The conditions reward patience: deep red volcanic soil, indigenous heirloom varieties that evolved locally over centuries, and slow cherry development at altitude that concentrates sugars and builds complexity in the cup.
This lot comes from the Mormora estate, an operation near Shakiso town that gathers cherry from surrounding farms and dries it at its own stations. Guji earned recognition as a distinct growing area in 2014, separating from the broad Sidamo designation, and coffees like this proved the zone deserved its own identity. The profile is distinctly different from Yirgacheffe's floral delicacy: more balanced acidity, fuller body, bold fruit character.
The CraftNatural: Guji's Preferred Method
Most Guji coffee gets natural process ed, and it is the region's dominant method. Whole cherries dry on raised beds and patios for weeks, fruit sugars slowly infusing the bean as fermentation begins. The process requires minimal infrastructure but maximum attention: turn the cherries regularly to ensure even drying, monitor for over-fermentation, protect from rain that could ruin the lot.
The payoff is intensity. Natural processing creates fruit-forward character and heavier body that washed methods cannot match. We roast it to City+, a level that holds the berry sweetness while letting the chocolate depth settle in. For Guji, where bold flavors define the regional identity, natural processing amplifies what the terroir started.
The CupBalanced Boldness
Strawberry leads, ripe and jammy fruit that announces itself clearly without overwhelming. Stone fruit, think peach and apricot, follows in the mid-palate, adding depth and complexity to the berry profile. Dark chocolate grounds everything, providing earthy richness that keeps this from becoming a one-note fruit bomb. Lime acidity in the finish adds brightness and lift, creating balance between sweet fruit and crisp structure.
