Telila separates lots by day, and by the village where the cherry was collected.

Mike’s lifetime of experience in the industry meant that he saw the opportunity to create greater value for roasters and producers alike. The Telila mill, located in the Limu region, processes coffees separated into day lots from small villages surrounding the mill, aiding in traceability and quality control. They also work with several larger farms, who produce enough coffee to export as a single lot. We have tasted several delicious coffees from the Telila mill, but this lot comprised of cherries from the village of Yukro, was a highlight for us. Crisp florals and a delicate oolong tea character are highlighted by crisp citrus, a perfect illustration of the character of washed Ethiopian lots.

The crisp florals and delicate citrus tea notes here are typical of washed Ethiopian lots.

Heirloom

Throughout all of these systems, a much higher level of biodiversity is maintained than in modern coffee production in most of the rest of the world. This is partly due to the forest system, and partly down to the genetic diversity of the coffee plants themselves. There are thousands of so far uncategorised ‘heirloom’ varieties growing in Ethiopia; all descended from wild cross pollination between species derived from the original Arabica trees. This biodiversity leads to hardier coffee plants, which don’t need to be artificially fertilised. This means that 95% of coffee production in Ethiopia is organic, although most small farmers and mills can’t afford to pay for certification, so can’t label their coffee as such. The absence of monoculture in the Ethiopian coffee lands also means plants are much less susceptible to the decimating effects of diseases such as leaf rust that have ripped through other producing countries.