Ethiopia - Hambela - Carbonic Maceration

Taste Notes - Rose, Cotton Candy, Black Cherry 

This carbonic-maceration Guji is a standout: a fruit-forward, vividly expressive coffee lifted by the unmistakable florality of southern Ethiopia. Low-oxygen, extended cherry fermentation adds depth while preserving a bright, terroir-driven core. Its creation spans a chain of producers, processors, cuppers, and sourcing specialists, each influencing the final cup. The result is more than a processing experiment—it’s a testament to collaboration and to Ethiopia’s enduring role at the heart of specialty coffee culture.

Carbonic maceration, in coffee, is a fairly high-intervention, controlled natural process that pushes fruit character to its limit while preserving clarity. Whole, freshly harvested cherries are placed into sealed tanks and flushed with carbon dioxide, creating a low-oxygen environment that slows down the initial stages of fermentation. Inside each cherry, enzymatic activity continues at a steadier, more predictable pace. This internal fermentation drives deeper sugar conversion and more complex aromatic development without the off-notes that come from uncontrolled exposure to air.

This is a flavor explosion and definitely more for the adventurous coffee consumer.