Ethiopia Sidamo GR3 Natural Ayla Bombe - Grainpro

Sidamo, located in southern Ethiopia’s storied coffee zone, is a cradle of Arabica cultivation. Its high elevations—spanning roughly 1,950 to 2,150 meters above sea level—along with volcanic soils, steady rainfall, and cool temperatures, foster a terroir known for floral aromatics, bright fruit, and layered sweetness. The Bombe sub-region, where Ayla sits, benefits from its unique microclimate and rich biodiversity, allowing coffee cherries to ripen slowly and uniformly for rich expressive cup profiles.

Operated by Testi Coffee under the leadership of Faysel Abdosh Yonis, the Ayla Washing Station sits just south of the village of Shantawene and processes cherries from about 725–800 smallholder farmers in the Bombe hills. The station’s riverside location allows for enhanced airflow over drying beds, aiding in gentle and even fermentation and drying. Aricha maintains strong traceability by processing kebele-specific lots separately and offers quality incentives through the Premium Cherry Selection program. Beyond processing, Ayla invests in community development—supporting initiatives like school construction and rural electrification via Testi’s Project Direct.

This coffee is naturally processed, meaning ripe cherries are dried whole on raised beds—often under shade or carefully spread in thin layers and raked to ensure uniform fermentation over 10–25 days. Once dried, the beans are hulled and optically sorted to ensure quality. As a Grade 3 Natural, the lot delivers a vivid profile with notes of black tea, floral tones, green apple, and light berry, all supported by a clean structure and creamy body.