ETHIOPIA RUMUDAMO

Recommended Retail Price: £15/250g

Tasting Notes: Delicate aromatics of rose, elderflower and lemongrass are brightened by citrus and a deep sweetness. This is elegantly layered coffee with an extraordinary, lasting finish.

Region: Arbegona, Sidama
Altitude: 1,920 - 2,330 m.a.s.l.
Varieties: Heirloom 74158
Processing: Washed

Landed: May 2025

This is one of two Ethiopian coffees we’ll roast from the 24/25 harvest. It’s a washed process coffee while the other is naturally processed, but they’re both produced by Cup of Excellence winning washing stations. It has the refreshingly aromatic and bright cup qualities typically found in Sidama coffee, so if you like elegant, floral, citrusy notes, this one’s for you. 

This coffee was grown by smallholder farmers in the highland village of Rumudamo. It was processed and exported by Daye Bensa, a company started by two coffee producer brothers who expanded into processing and exporting. It was imported by Coffee Legends, a micro importer specializing in Ethiopian coffee.

The smallholders farmers from the village of Rumudamo grow coffee on small plots at some of the highest elevations in Ethiopia. This high elevation plus the care taken in the growing, picking and processing of this coffee is what makes it exceptional. Their coffees were awarded second and third place for the Presidential Award in the 2020 Cup of Excellence competition. 

Currently, the Rumudamo washing station works with 600 farmers who grow both this variety, Heirloom 74158, and the Heirloom 74112 variety. They harvest 350,000 kilograms of coffee annually, most of which is processed into washed coffee. Heirloom 74158 was selected and developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) in the 1970s for its resistance to coffee leaf rust and its ability to thrive at high altitudes like that of Rumudamo. It’s known for producing high-quality beans with distinctive flavor profiles which is part of why this region’s coffee has a recognizable flavour profile. 

Sidama is one of three regions (along with Harrar and Yirgacheffe) that the Ethiopian government trademarked in 2004 in an effort to generate recognition for its coffee. You’ll sometimes see coffees labelled Ethiopia Sidamo or Sidama. Both terms refer to the same region but Sidama is preferred, according to James Hoffman, because the name originated from the Sidama people and Sidamo is considered by some to be derogatory. 

Sources:
dayebensacoffee.com/rumudamo-daye-bensa
coffeelegends.co.uk
greencoffeecollective.com
Hoffman, J. (2018) The World Atlas of Coffee. 2nd edition. London, Mitchell Beazley
worldcoffeeresearch.org/focus-countries/ethiopia