Every year I start watching for the Koke Honey. Presta's Ethiopia Koke Honey is an annual favorite of mine, and this year's cup did not disappoint. Blueberry right up front, honey sweetness through the middle, and a little black tea bitterness on the finish. It is a fun coffee, the kind that reminds you why fruit-forward Ethiopians have such a devoted following.
I used to bring this coffee in every year when I was roasting. There are lots you buy because they are interesting and lots you buy because they make people happy. Koke Honey did both.
The coffee comes from the Koke washing station in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia, grown by around 1,200 smallholder farmers at roughly 1,800 meters. The varieties are Ethiopian heirlooms, Kurume, Dega, and Wolisho, the old landrace types behind Yirgacheffe's distinctive floral and fruit character.
What makes this one stand out is the process. Most Ethiopian coffee is either washed or natural. Honey process sits between the two. The cherry skin is removed, but the sticky fruit mucilage stays on the bean while it dries, which is where the honey name comes from. You get the sweetness and body of a natural with the clarity of a washed coffee, and that is exactly what shows up in the cup: blueberry jam notes with a clean finish.
Presta has been roasting in Tucson for over ten years. If you like fruit-forward Ethiopians, this is one worth grabbing while it is on the shelf.
