Floral with a black tea roundness, punctuated by zesty lemon.

Refisa coffee, from Ethiopia’s Nensebo Woreda, is a vibrant washed lot cultivated by smallholder farmers at 2070 MASL. With flavour notes of black tea, lemon, and gorgeous florals, this coffee offers a unique taste from an exciting, new coffee region.

We paid 103% above the fair trade price for this coffee. Learn more here.

Refisa coffee is produced at the Refisa Washing Station, nestled in the villages of Refisa, Roricho, Bulga, and Riripa. Located in the West Arsi Zone near the Bale Mountains, this relatively new coffee-growing region boasts fertile lands at an altitude of 1900-2070 MASL, creating the perfect environment for distinctive coffee cultivation.

Until recently, West Arsi coffees were classified under the broader Sidama label. However, the region has now earned individual recognition for its unique coffee qualities. Nensebo Woreda, located 400 km south of Addis Ababa, is home to 588 smallholder farmers who manage around 5,000 hectares of coffee farms, with an average farm size of two hectares per farmer.

The varieties grown here, 74110 and 74112, were developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center to thrive in Ethiopia’s high-altitude conditions. Farmers handpick cherries, which are fermented for 48-60 hours before being washed and dried on raised beds for 7-10 days, ensuring meticulous processing standards.

This particular lot is overseen by Negusse Debela for SNAP Specialty Coffee. Negusse also manages two other stations in Worka Chelbesa and works closely with the farmers to maintain quality, ensuring Refisa coffee showcases the best of this burgeoning region's potential.