Ethiopia - Raro
Origin: Ethiopia, Guji Zone (Uraga, Raro Boda Kebele)
Wet Mill: Raro Boda Wet Mill
Exporter: SNAP Specialty Coffee
Sourced through: The Coffee Quest
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1,900–2,300+ masl
Varietal: Wolisho, Dega, Kurume, 74110, 74112
Tasting notes: Dried Apricot – Lemonade – Berries – Earl Grey
- We roast every Monday and Thursday, and ship on Tuesday and Friday.
For an estimated shipping time, please reach out to us. - We recommend letting the coffee rest for a minimum of one week after roasting date, with peak in flavors being around 3-4 weeks.
- A minimum of 200€ is required to place an order with our wholesale pricing.
The Story
There are coffees that surprise you, and then there are coffees you come back to because they're just exactly right. A great washed Ethiopian belongs to the second category. Bright, clean, layered, the kind of cup that never feels like you've had enough of it. Raro is that coffee for us this season.
It comes from the Raro Boda Wet Mill, located in the Uraga district of Ethiopia's Guji Zone, a part of the country that has quietly established itself as one of the most exciting origins in Ethiopian specialty coffee. The station sits at elevations ranging from 1,900 to over 2,300 meters, where the altitude brings cool temperatures that slow cherry maturation significantly. That slow ripening concentrates natural sugars and produces exceptionally dense beans with the kind of complexity and sweetness that makes Guji coffees so compelling.
Between 250 and 700 smallholder farmers deliver cherry to Raro Boda each season, cultivating indigenous landrace varieties, Wolisho, Dega, and Kurume, alongside JARC selections 74110 and 74112. These are ancient, locally adapted varieties that have been shaped by this specific landscape over generations.
The mill is operated under the oversight of SNAP Specialty Coffee, founded in 2008 by Negusse Debela Weldyes — an entrepreneur who came to coffee after discovering specialty pour-overs in the United States and never looked back. SNAP manages multiple wet mills across southern Ethiopia, runs its own dry mill in Dukem for tight quality control, and has built schools, roads, and healthcare clinics for the communities around their processing sites. Quality control at Raro Boda is handled by Q-Grader Medhin Tamiru, a national judge for the Cup of Excellence — a level of expertise that shows in the cup. We source this coffee through our friends at The Coffee Quest.
The process
This lot is fully washed, processed at the Raro Boda Wet Mill with a level of precision that sets it apart from most.
After selective hand-picking of ripe cherries, the coffee is depulped using a Penagos eco-pulper — chosen for its efficiency and gentleness on the bean. Fermentation takes place underwater in ceramic-tiled tanks for 48 to 72 hours. The tiling matters: smooth ceramic surfaces prevent bacterial accumulation, yielding a cleaner, more controlled fermentation than conventional concrete.
After fermentation, parchment is washed in channels, sorted by density, and then soaked in clean spring water before drying. Drying takes place on raised African beds over 10 to 14 days, with the coffee shielded during intense midday sun to protect the cup's brightness and clarity.
Every step is designed with the same goal: to let the terroir and the variety come through as cleanly and completely as possible. At this altitude, that's a worthy ambition.
The cup
Bright, aromatic, and endlessly satisfying, the washed Ethiopian you never get tired of.
Dried apricot sets the tone: sweet, slightly concentrated, with a warmth that anchors the cup from the first sip. Lemonade lifts everything with a clean, sparkling acidity that feels effortless rather than sharp. Berries add depth and a gentle fruitiness that runs through the middle, while Earl Grey closes things with a floral, bergamot-like finish that lingers softly and makes you want to go back for more.
Classic, yes. But the best classics are classic for a reason.