Ethiopian Heirloom
Unlike coffees identified as a single named variety such as Bourbon, Caturra or Gesha, this Bishan Wate lot contains multiple native Ethiopian varieties grown by smallholder farmers around the washing station. These are commonly grouped under the term Ethiopian Heirloom, which is widely used in the coffee trade but is not the name of one specific botanical variety.
Ethiopia is the centre of origin of Coffea arabica and retains exceptional genetic diversity. Many traditional coffee populations have developed locally over generations and can be understood as landraces, meaning populations adapted to a particular environment through cultivation, farmer selection and local conditions. Because this lot brings together coffee from several farmers and multiple native varieties, its genetic composition cannot be reduced to one cultivar. Here, “heirloom” is best understood as a description of that diversity rather than a single variety.
Special Prep Washed
For this Special Prep lot, coffee cherries are collected from a limited group of smallholder farmers, with particular attention given to cherry ripeness and selection. After delivery to Bishan Wate, the cherries are floated in clean water to remove defects before being depulped.
The coffee then undergoes a 48-hour fermentation before being moved to raised beds. It dries for approximately 21 days, with the beds positioned to maximise airflow while limiting direct sunlight, until the coffee reaches around 12% moisture.
