Yaye - special prep natural Ethiopia

"intense red and violet florals, ripe peach, apricot, pineapple, red wine"

Yaye

The Yaye Washing Station, built in 2021, is dedicated to quality through experimentation. The Odakko project is the culmination of their four years of study and pre-harvest planning between Testi Coffees and Cafe Imports. The aim was to create a traceable, single-variety offering using the most intentionally selected cherry possible at the peak harvest to discover a one-of-one flavor profile. This novel coffee is the product of 50 smallholders from neighboring villages of Yaye and Chericho.

Special Prep

With the special prep (what the producers generally call “Premium” in Ethiopia) the cherries are collected from a limited number of small-holder farmers. 

90% of the cherries are perfectly picked, the right red color. 5% semi red and 5% overripe. 

All of it is processed and stored it separately from the other lots. They generally produce a very small number of bags in this way every year. 

In most instances, cherries used to produce these lots are collected from a day lot (picked in one day). 

Natural coffees in Ethiopia are first sorted for ripeness and quality before being rinsed clean Then they are spread on raised drying beds or tables, where they will be rotated constantly throughout the course of drying. Drying can take an average of 8–25 days, depending on the weather.