SHANTAWENE

The Farm

Daye Bensa was the creation of two brothers - Assefa and Mulugeta Dukamo - with the ambition to showcase the amazing potential of coffee in Ethiopia. Over 15 years of work they have built up their business to include 2 farms, 19 washing stations, and 5 warehouses. Working with over 1400 small producers, they have been driven by quality and flavour; consistently delivering some of our most memorable Ethiopian coffees.

The Shantawene farm sits in the village of the same name, in the Sidama area of Ethiopia. Located at an altitude of over 2000 metres amongst the Bombe mountains, the farm sits on rich terroir that benefits from endemic biodiversity found in the region. Following guidance from the Ministry of Agriculture, Daye Bensa has recently made efforts to reforest the farmland and increase the shade available for coffee plants. The very high altitude means coffee matures slowly: creating small, dense cherries that are packed full of distinctive Ethiopian flavour.

The Process

Our Shantawene lot has undergone anaerobic processing: after harvesting coffee cherries are transferred whole to sealed containers where fermentation is encouraged. During the process, the natural sugars from the outer material of the cherry help impart depth and fruitiness to the bean inside. After fermentation, the whole cherries are dried on raised African beds until the desired moisture content is reached.