Kelloo Siko #1 - Ethiopia - Washed

Producers: 500 neighboring farmers 

Mill/Cooperative: Siko Washing Station

Importer: Nordic Approach

Price Paid: FOB USD 9,26/kg, to producer: ETB 45-80 / KG cherry

Region: Siko Valley, Uraga, Guji

Processing: Washed

Varietals: Mixed 

Tastes Like: chamomile tea, dried mango, light

Last year we had the pleasure of tasting a whole table of different washed Ethiopian coffees from importer Nordic Approach. Amongst all of those coffees, Kelloo Siko was a clear stand-out: Very herbal and floral, light and elegant with subtle tropical- and stone-fruit notes. 
“Kelloo” means "yellow" in the Oromiffa language. Is it a coincidence we taste chamomile and dried mango? Probably not.
We wanted you to be able to enjoy this coffee too, we hope you like it as much as we do.

Some more words from the importer:
"This lot comes from a washing station named Siko. Located in the Siko village of Uraga, Guji, this washing station produces quality cup profiles and high-scoring lots.

The station buys cherries from around 500 neighbouring farmers, whose farms sit at high altitudes of 2100 - 2250 masl. The land’s rich, fertile, red soils, combined with constant sunlight exposure, allow the well-trained farmers to grow high quality coffee we keep coming back for.
The land’s rich, fertile, red soils, combined with constant sunlight exposure, allow the well-trained farmers to grow high quality coffee we keep coming back for.

The cherries are collected manually and hand sorted later. They are wet-fermented for 24 to 72 hours, depending on the weather. The coffees are then washed in channels, and graded in water by density. The ones with lower density (lower quality) will float and are removed, leaving only the denser, and therefore higher quality beans, which are separated as higher grade lots.

After fermentation, soaking takes place for 6 hours. The coffee is then piled up in layers which are 2 cm in height, but adjusted according to the climate. It is then dried over a 13-day period, followed by hand sorting for 2-4 hours."