Danche, Anaerobic Natural - Ethiopia

Approximately 700 smallholder farmers from the surrounding villages of Worka, Chelbesa, Danche and Kubi deliver cherries to the Danche Washing Station. Most cultivate fewer than two hectares of land, with coffee grown beneath native shade trees alongside food crops using traditional, low-intervention farming practices that have long defined Ethiopian coffee production.

These family farms, many managed across generations, rely on meticulous hand harvesting and careful cherry selection to produce coffees that faithfully express the unique terroir of the Gedeo Highlands.

Only fully ripe cherries are selectively harvested before being assessed for sugar content, with fruit measuring 20° Brix or higher progressing to the next stage. After further hand sorting and flotation to remove any remaining defects, the cherries undergo 96 hours of anaerobic fermentation in sealed tanks.

By excluding oxygen, fermentation progresses slowly and evenly, encouraging greater aromatic complexity while enhancing sweetness and fruit intensity. The cherries are then transferred to raised African beds, where they dry slowly in the shade for 20 to 25 days, allowing flavours to develop gradually while preserving clarity and stability.

The combination of high-altitude cultivation and carefully controlled anaerobic fermentation produces a coffee of exceptional depth and vibrancy. Layers of strawberry, boysenberry and orange-chocolate sweetness unfold over a silky body, supported by lively acidity and a long, refined finish. Whether brewed as filter or espresso, it is a beautifully expressive coffee that captures both the innovation of its processing and the unmistakable character of Yirgacheffe.

• Region: Yirgacheffe
• Country: Ethiopia
• Elevation: 2,100 masl
• Variety: Mixed Heirloom, Ethiopian Landrace
• Process: Anaerobic Natural