Festive Single Origin

Our yearly Festive Single Origin is inspired by the Scandinavian tradition of Julkaffe - the coffee of Christmas. Each festive season, coffee lovers across Nordic countries select a standout single origin to mark the occasion, and we’ve embraced that idea to bring you something truly exceptional. While our Festive Blend is all about cosy comfort, the Single Origin is a chance to showcase a coffee that shines on its own. This year, we’ve selected a washed lot from Genji Challa in Jimma, Ethiopia - a vibrant, elegant cup that offers the perfect counterpoint to a traditional Christmas blend.

Think silky smooth but light vanilla custard, but with a floral lemongrass alongside it. A sweet orange develops as it cools and a little nudge of creamy milk chocolate on the finish completes this sweet and complex cup.

This coffee was produced by Mike Mamo and a cooperative of local smallholder producers from the Genji Challa kebele. Located in Kecho Anderacha, south-west of the capital Addis Ababa, the coffee was grown in the locality of the Gera woreda in the Jimma zone, now becoming famous for its amazing coffee. The altitude of this hilly woreda ranges from 1390 to 2980 masl, with the coffee we see here grown at 2000 masl. This Washed lot was processed at the Telila Washing Station – despite only being in its fifth year of operation, Telila has already made a name for itself thanks to its meticulous and experienced team. You may recognise the name from a selection of Ethiopian coffees we’ve sourced over the last few years, they’ve fast become a favourite at Ozone Towers.

This year’s harvest presents more of what we have come to expect from this excellent washing station. Their exceptional attention to detail during the drying process results in a cup profile that’s clean and clear. The lots delivered by local smallholders are carefully separated by kebele upon arrival at the washing station, this is an unusual and impressive step which sets Telila apart from others in the Ethiopian coffee industry, allowing us to properly recognise the work of the people who grew the coffee for us. Mike and the team at Telila are consistently raising quality standards in Jimma, now producing washed, honey, natural, and anaerobic lots all to a high precision. Genji Challa is undoubtably one of the standout Washed lots this season, a beautiful example of just how great Ethiopian Washed coffees can be.

• Country: Ethiopia
• Region: Oromia
• Zone: Jimma
• Varietals: Landrace
• Processing: Washed
• Washing Station: Telila Washing Station
• Producer: Smallholders of Genji Challa
• Altitude: 2,000 m.a.s.l.

Tasting notes:  Vanilla custard, lemongrass, orange.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean cup: (1–8): 6.5
• Sweetness: (1–8): 6.5
• Acidity: (1–8): 6
• Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5
• Flavour: (1–8): 6.5
• Aftertaste: (1–8): 6
• Balance: (1–8): 6
• Overall: (1–8): 7
• Correction:(+36): +36
• Total (max. 100): 87

Medium: through first and look for the middle of the gap before you drop this.