Gedeb Lalesa - Ethiopia

'...the last of this years crops from Ethiopia and this lot is a fitting way to end the season.'

When we drink this coffee, we get those familiar blueberry notes but there's more. Distinctive but well balanced melon and pineapple add a less usual tropical feel to the coffee. The acidity is gentle and the processing is judged perfectly which means we end up with a really well balanced, classy coffee that is a real joy to drink. 

Personally, I'm loving this as filter coffee (where a slightly higher ratio brew seems to bring out a beautiful syrupy body ( - 1:16ish)). As espresso, the acidity isn't as wild as it can be in these coffees, so it's more likely to please more people.

Incidentally, I'm finding anything more than a splash of milk in an americano too much - the coffee loses the fight against the milk in a flat white for me. 

So good to go out with a banger from Ethiopia, roll on the 2026 season!  

Origin:  Gedeb, Ethiopia

Varietals: Heirloom

Processing: Natural

Roast degree: 130 (read more). 

Suitable for: All Brew Methods (read more)

Q Score: 87.25 (what's this?)

You can get more sensory information about the coffee by looking at the diagrams in the images above. If you need to know how these work, just click here. 

Taste and flavour perception are complex and difficult to articulate. We love sharing our tasting notes with you, but please don't rely too heavily on our reports. Your experience is what matters most and it may be different. We've written about that whole issue here.

IMPORTANT: Please read our short Coffee Bean Care Guide here. 

Want to know more about this coffee? Read on......

Ephtah Specialty Coffee is dedicated to building sustainable and collaborative supply chains that benefit customers, farmers, and their communities. The company emphasizes promoting the role of women in the coffee industry, recognising their pivotal role in driving social and economic change in Ethiopia.

The Lalesa washing station is located in Gedeb, a region with a population of over 300,000 people. The area is predominantly Christian Protestant, with some Orthodox Christians, and the primary language spoken is Gedeoiniya. The community celebrates its main annual New Year festival on January 18th, and Enset (false banana) is the staple food. 

This coffee is fermented in barrels for 9 days, dried for 13-18 days and stored in the site warehouse and moved to Addis Ababa when ready. Once processed and dried, the coffee is stored at Moplaco in Gerji, Addis Ababa. From there, it is transported to Djibouti via train for export.

This year, financial constraints have been a significant challenge due to the National Bank of Ethiopia's policy to control inflation. However, Ephtah is committed to ongoing
investment and development, including expanding drying facilities and supporting local farmers.

The Ephtah site in Gedeb is the largest drying and washing site in the region, further underscoring the company's commitment to quality and capacity in coffee production.
- Permanent Employees: 20
- Seasonal Employees (during harvest): 250
- Drying Beds: 350