Ethiopia Wush Wush

Mesfin Girma is one of Ethiopia’s most respected coffee producers, celebrated for his exceptional Wush Wush and Yirgacheffe coffees and for pushing the boundaries of coffee processing. Working in the Gedeo Zone near Chito, he has become known for meticulous, almost artisanal production methods that elevate heirloom Ethiopian coffees to world-class status. His coffees are especially prized for their vibrant fruit character, layered sweetness, floral aromatics, and tea-like complexity.

The Wush Wush varietal itself is one of Ethiopia’s rarest and most sought-after coffee treasures. Named after the Wushwush region in southwestern Ethiopia where it was first discovered, the variety is known for its low yields, small dense beans, and remarkably expressive cup profile. Often compared to Gesha for its rarity and distinctive flavour experience, Wush Wush has become highly regarded within specialty coffee for producing cups that are intensely fruity, floral, with refined acidity and unlike almost anything else in coffee.

This particular lot comes from farmers cultivating coffee at extreme elevations in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, where cool temperatures and rich highland soils contribute exceptional clarity and complexity. Many of the trees are over 50 years old, producing smaller harvests but extraordinary cup quality. The coffee is carefully hand-picked, with only the ripest cherries selected before processing begins.

What makes this coffee especially remarkable is its extended 120-hour anaerobic dry fermentation. After harvest, the cherries are sealed in limited-oxygen containers for five full days before being transferred to raised drying beds. This controlled fermentation amplifies the coffee’s natural fruit intensity and sweetness while developing the wine-like depth and tropical character that Wush Wush is celebrated for.

Experimental processing methods like this have helped establish Wush Wush as one of the most exciting emerging varieties in specialty coffee. Yet beneath the innovation lies a deep connection to Ethiopia’s coffee heritage, preserved through generations of smallholder farmers dedicated to cultivating and protecting this rare heirloom varietal.