Tasting Notes
Ethiopia is the historic origin of coffee, and even today the breadth of its flavor experience is profound. Yirgacheffe charms you, with its high citrus notes and its deep bass foundations; its sensual wisp of flowers and its round body. A cafetière of Yirgacheffe is a treat for the soul.
Rating: 94 Points (out of 100)
Intensely aromatic yet finely balanced. The rich aroma is dominated by a pungent cedar sensation with backgrounded caramelly chocolate sweetness and a hint of flowers. The chocolaty fruit and night floral notes move lushly forward in the cup, persisting into the finish. Soft acidity, lightly syrupy mouthfeel.
— Ken Davids, CoffeeReview.com, November 2009
The Connoisseur's Choice
"Perhaps it's because coffee has been cultivated in Ethiopia longer than anywhere else on earth, and has so much genetic variety to choose from. Whatever the reason, Ethiopian coffees are vibrant and intensely aromatic as a rule ... and ours is exemplary."
— Doug Cadmus, Webmaster
About Green Mountain Coffee®
A great tasting cup of coffee can give you a whole new perspective. It's a moment to pause, reflect, and reprioritize. That moment is what inspires us to make coffee that benefits everyone it touches. From carefully sourcing and roasting the highest quality beans, to supporting small farms and protecting the environment, we focus on what's important.
That's why we at Green Mountain Coffee® believe a good cup of coffee can change your day... but a great cup of coffee can help change the world.
Notes From Origin
It is perfectly logical to us that the birthplace of civilization is also the birthplace of coffee. This particular coffee comes from the Oromio cooperative in Ethiopia, and for the last two years our Coffee Department, and other coffee fanatics within our circle, have considered this our finest green coffee. We roast it with a delicacy that hides none of its charm.
Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe comes from the Sidamo region in Eastern Ethiopia, southeast from the Gulf of Aden. Approximately 12 million Ethiopians find their livelihood in the coffee industry, and while Ethiopia exports around 60 percent of its coffee, the drink has deep domestic significance for the country. In fact, many Ethiopians practice a traditional ceremony around coffee.
Not surprisingly, the ceremony is quite social. It is used to welcome guests into one’s home. Traditionally, the coffee ceremony involves drinking the brew either salted, or mixed with butter. However you take your coffee, the Ethiopian bean is a quintessential coffee experience from a quintessential land.
We buy Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU). The care this co-op takes with this organic, Fair Trade coffee is reflected in its superb quality. In 2003 the Specialty Coffee Association of America awarded OCFCU’s coffee third place in their cupping trials.
But being a member of this cooperative also means significant advantages for farmers and their families. The money that OCFCU has earned through its Fair Trade coffee sales has allowed this co-op to expand and improve their coffee processing facilities. Farmers and their families are able to improve their quality of life with new homes, nutritious food, and education for their children, and growing coffee organically allows farmers to keep their local environment clean and pure.