RWANDA KILIMBI LIMITED EDITION FILTER

Ethiopia isn’t just another coffee-growing country—it’s 

the original homeland of Arabica coffee. According to legend, a 9th-century goatherd named Kaldi noticed his goats dancing energetically after eating berries from a certain tree. That “tree” turned out to be the wild coffee plant, and the rest is (delicious) history.

Ethiopia’s unique genetics—over 10,000 native coffee varietals—give its beans an unparalleled range of flavor, from floral and tea-like to fruity, spicy, and winey.

Sidamo (sometimes spelled Sidama) is one of Ethiopia’s key coffee regions, located in the southern highlands. Here’s why it’s so revered:

Perfect Growing Conditions

• Altitude: 1,500–2,200+ masl
• Climate: Cool temperatures and consistent rainfall
• Soil: Rich, fertile volcanic soil
  All of these factors contribute to slow coffee cherry maturation, which means deeper, more developed flavors.

Diverse Coffee Genetics

Sidamo is home to heirloom varietals that are often unique to specific villages or even individual farms—making each lot of coffee potentially unique in character.

The term "Ethiopian heirloom" doesn’t refer to a single varietal. Instead, it’s a catch-all term for the wild and indigenous coffee cultivars that grow across Ethiopia—many of which haven’t even been genetically cataloged yet.

Think of it like a wild rainforest of coffee plants—some cultivated, some naturally occurring—each with distinct genetic traits, flavors, and aromas. In fact, Ethiopia is home to thousands of unique Arabica genotypes. It’s the most genetically diverse coffee origin on Earth.

Why It’s So Special in Specialty Coffee

Incredible Genetic Diversity

Because these plants are so varied, heirloom coffees offer a broader and more vibrant range of flavors than you’ll find anywhere else. You can get:

• Bright citrus and florals (think bergamot, jasmine, lemon)
• Rich stone fruits (peach, apricot)
• Lush berries (blueberry, strawberry)
• Tea-like and silky textures

Every micro-lot can taste wildly different—even within the same region or farm.

Naturally Evolved Terroir

These varietals have adapted over centuries to Ethiopia’s altitude, soil, and microclimates, producing beans that are:

• Resilient and naturally disease-resistant
• Slow-growing, which leads to more concentrated sugars and flavors
• Better suited for shade-grown and organic cultivation

In short: heirloom beans are like the wine world's old vines—rooted deep in place and bursting with complexity.

Unparalleled Cup Quality

Ethiopian heirloom coffees consistently score 85+ on the SCA scale, often hitting the 90s. Specialty roasters love them because:

• They produce bright, clean, complex cups
• They perform beautifully in filter, pour-over, and espresso
• They stand out on any cupping table

This is why you’ll find them on competition stages, special releases, and limited micro-lots around the world.

Cultural and Historical Depth

These aren’t just beans—they’re part of Ethiopia’s centuries-old coffee culture. Many heirloom varietals are still grown by smallholder farmers in traditional agroforestry systems, often without chemicals, and picked and sorted by hand.

You’re not just getting a great cup—you’re getting a taste of coffee’s original roots.

Summary:

Ethiopian heirloom coffee is the original artisanal brew.
It’s complex, diverse, and rooted in the birthplace of coffee itself—offering flavors no lab or hybrid can replicate.

Ayla Bombe Washing Station: Elevating Tradition Through Innovation

Washed Processed | Slow Fermentation | 21-Day Raised Bed Drying

The Ayla Bombe Washing Station, located in Ethiopia’s celebrated Sidamo region, is part of a quality improvement project focused on refining traditional processing techniques while preserving the rich heritage of Ethiopian coffee craftsmanship.

This lot features a fully washed process, meticulously executed to enhance clarity and highlight the delicate, complex flavors characteristic of Ethiopian heirloom varieties.

Precision in Fermentation

After careful hand-sorting, the freshly harvested cherries are floated to remove underripe and damaged beans—ensuring only the highest quality cherries proceed to the next step.

The cherries are then depulped and moved into fermentation tanks where they undergo a slow, controlled fermentationlasting 48 hours. What sets this batch apart is the ambient temperature control, maintained between 20.5°C and 21°C, allowing the fermentation to proceed gently and evenly.

This slow pace helps preserve the vibrant acidity and floral characteristics of the coffee while ensuring a clean, refined cup.

Traditional Drying, Elevated by Care

Once fermentation is complete, the coffee—now in parchment—is transferred to raised African drying beds, where it is spread in thin layers and carefully turned throughout the day to ensure even drying.

The parchment spends 21 days drying in the open air, shielded from intense midday sun and covered during nighttime or rain. This extended drying process further develops sweetness and balance, contributing to the cup’s silky body and lingering finish.

What is the main importance:

The Ayla Bombe improvement project isn’t just about better coffee—it’s about:

• Empowering local farmers through knowledge-sharing and infrastructure upgrades
• Promoting transparency and traceability from cherry to cup
• Creating higher value micro-lots for the specialty market

Every step—from floatation and fermentation to drying—is done with intentionality and precision, producing a coffee that’s as vibrant and layered as the land it comes from.

Cup Profile (Typical of Ayla Bombe Washed Lots):

• Floral and citrus aromatics
• Notes of bergamot, red current, and black tea
• balanced acidity with a clean, tea-like finish

Crafted with Precision for Filter Coffee and Pour over Lovers

Each batch of our Ethiopia Sidamo Ayla Bombe is carefully hand-roasted in small batches to bring out the very best of its complex flavor profile. We approach roasting as both an art and a science—guided by sensory feedback, data-driven roasting curves, and a deep respect for the bean’s origin.

This particular lot is roasted to a medium filter profile, a deliberate choice that enhances balance, sweetness, and mouthfeel, while preserving the coffee’s elegant floral and fruit notes.

Key Roasting Characteristics:

Attention to Detail: Every roast is closely monitored for color development, first crack timing, and rate of rise to ensure consistency and precision.

Filter-Focused Profile: Tailored for filter, pour over, Aeropress preparation, this roast produces a bright acidity with aclean, tea-like finish, medium body.

Balanced Acidity: The brightness of Ethiopian heirloom beans is softened and rounded through careful roast development, creating a cup that’s vibrant but never sharp.

Medium Sweetness: Gentle caramelization of the natural sugars within the bean contributes to a medium sweetness, complementing the coffee’s fruit-forward notes.

Good Body & Lingering Finish: The roast enhances the coffee’s medium-bodied texture and leaves a clean, lingering aftertaste with subtle hints of black tea and cocoa.

This roast is designed to shine in pour overs, Aeroporss, Chemex, coffee cocktails and refreshing cold brew Whether you’re a barista dialling in or a home brewer seeking a flavorful, consistent shot—this roast hits that sweet spot between depth and nuance.