Ethiopia Ky Kebero Nº 363

This fully washed coffee comes from the Sidama region in the southern Ethiopian highlands, south of Lake Awasa; an area celebrated for producing some of the world’s finest specialty coffees. It's named in honour of the Ethiopian wolf - Ky kebero in Amharic the working language of Ethiopia. With only around 500 left in the wild, the Ethiopian wolf is Africa’s most endangered carnivore and one of the rarest wild dog species in the world.

Covoya, the import company that we purchased this coffee through here in the UK, has been working closely with the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme since 2024. Professor Claudio Sillero founded the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) 30 years ago and has devoted his life to the protection of Ethiopia’s iconic wolf and its ecosystem. A donation to the EWCP was made when we purchased this coffee.

Sidama has earned a global reputation for exceptional coffee thanks to its unique growing conditions. High elevations of up to 2,200 metres, fertile soil, regular rainfall, and generations of local coffee growing knowledge all contribute to the quality of the harvest. Ethiopia’s native heirloom coffee varieties, many of which still grow wild, give these coffees their distinctive flavour profile. Bright citrus acidity balanced with notes of stone fruit, sweet chocolate, and delicate floral and herbal tones like lavender, jasmine, bergamot and hops.

This lot is produced using a traditional fully washed process. Ripe cherries are carefully handpicked and sorted by flotation before being depulped on the same day they are harvested. The beans are then fermented for 36–48 hours and thoroughly washed in clean water channels to remove any remaining fruit. The beans are then dried in the sun on raised African beds for 12–15 days, depending on the weather. During drying, the coffee is regularly turned to ensure consistency, covered during the hottest part of the day to protect it from intense sunlight, and sheltered overnight from moisture and rain. Once the coffee reaches the ideal moisture level, it is transported to Addis Ababa for dry milling, grading, sorting, and final hand selection before being packed in GrainPro bags ready for export.