Ethiopia Halo Hartume

Altitude: 1900-2200 meters

Varietals: JARC Selections and Local Landraces

Process:
Depulped and fermented for 12 hours before drying on raised beds with mucilage in tact.

Harvest: January - February 2025

Region: Gedeb Woreda, Gedeo Zone

Southern Ethiopia, particularly the highland communities of the Gedeo zone, produces coffees with nuance, radiance, and incredible aromatic precision. This lot stands out as one of the most compelling washed Ethiopian coffees we have tasted in many years. The fragrance is unmistakably floral. The cup opens with sugary sweet stone fruit and transitions into a shining lemon brightness that lingers long after the sip.

Most farmers in Ethiopia grow heirloom varieties that create the distinct character we associate with Ethiopian coffee. In recent years there has been growing momentum around identifying and cataloging individual varieties within these heirloom groups in order to understand their unique sensory qualities. It is still early in that effort, but the potential is thrilling, and we cannot wait to learn more about the varieties that give Halo Hartume its astonishing presence.

This selection uses the white honey process. Coffees are depulped and left with only the slightest trace of mucilage, then moved directly to raised beds where they ferment slowly as they dry. Over several weeks the flavors refine and strengthen until the coffee reaches perfect moisture. The result is a luminous and transparent expression of the classic Gedeb profile that we return to year after year.

For more than five years Wonderstate has sourced exceptional Ethiopian coffees through SNAP Exporters. They operate washing stations throughout Ethiopia, while also partnering with locally owned sites that reflect the true diversity of Ethiopian coffee culture. Every season they manage to surprise us again. They consistently bring coffees that reach a remarkable level of clarity and precision, including longtime favorites like Worka Chelbessa and Chelbessa Danche.

Throughout Ethiopia, smallholder farmers deliver freshly picked cherries from their garden sized plots to centralized washing stations such as Halo Hartume. At the station, the cherries are sorted, depulped, fermented, washed, and dried. As the harvest progresses, lots from the Halo Hartume station are separated by profile and quality. From these separations we select lots that best express the character and excellence we look for.

Halo Hartume continues to be a tour de force in Ethiopian coffee, year after year landing among the absolute best coffees we taste. The white honey process elevates this selection and captures our imaginations with flavors that represent the completely unique terroir of southern Ethiopia. Expect the florality of spring honeysuckle in full bloom, a snappy lemon curd acidity, and a refined fruit sweetness that calls to mind champagne grapes. It is bright, elegant, and completely captivating.