Ethiopia Bombe Abore Sidama Natural Grade 1

About Ethiopia Bombe Abore Sidama Natural Grade 1

Arrived November 2025 in grainpro lined, attractive outer bags.

The Abore Station is located in Sidama, Ethiopia in the Bona Zuria District (one of 30 in the region). Bombe Abore is the name of the lots produced there. The station was named after a bridge that was constructed in 1997 and dedicated to a local chief. Managed by Asefa Dukamo Korma, the site sits at an elevation of 1,920 to 2,020 meters and processes both Natural and Washed coffees. Approximately 1,022 farmers deliver their cherries to this site, mostly with 74110 and 74112 varieties.

These varieties are “selections” that were made at the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) in Ethiopia during the 1970s. The variety names or numbers begin with the year - 74, for 1974 - in which they were selected or cataloged. Genetically, these coffees came from heirloom coffee varieties, also called landrace. The plants are short and compact, making them easier to harvest. And, they have smaller cherries, are fairly productive and are resistant to common coffee diseases. These highly sought after varieties are planted in high elevation sites as found in Sidama, Guji and Yirgacheffe, frequently above 1,800 meters and up to 2,300 meters, some of the highest coffee growing places on earth. On the flavor side, they are often described as balanced and juicy with floral aromas.

This Natural lot was immediately placed to dry on raised beds that are 25 meters long. Depending on the weather, the drying process might take from 16-25 days, with cherries constantly being moved around on the beds. 

The Bombe Mountains

Due to the extremely high elevations, harvest runs on the later end, from December through February. The Abore Station has around 124 temporary employees that are contracted during the harvest season and 4 permanent employees year-round. Established in 1996 as producers, Daye Bensa has lived through all the turmoils that coffee growing and exporting entails in the region. Nowadays, they are a reference of excellence and resilience in Ethiopia and work with various communities of out-growers from whom they receive cherries. They work with multiple washing stations in the Bensa, Sidama area, including some of which they own.

Cherry being laid out on drying tables at Abore Washing Station

Daye Bensa is no stranger to quality and has learned how to produce high-quality coffees: in 2020, they won 7th place in the COE, in 2021 8th place, and in 2022, 2nd place.

Cup Characteristics: Cherry and mild almond aroma as well as fresh sweet cream, butter and nutmeg. Mild to moderate fruit intensity. Flavors of nuts, apple butter, prune, dark chocolate, dry fig, all with in the presence of vanilla in the background. Cleanly processed.

Roasting Notes: This coffee has sweet, fruity profile when kept City+ to Full City. We stopped this roast about a minute past first crack and it seemed ideal - second crack had not yet started. On a Behmor a P2 or P3 would work well.