This coffee comes from the Aramo mill, near the town of Aramo in the Highlands of Yirgacheffe in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Republic (SNNPR) of Ethiopia.
Coffee from up to 800 farmers was dried with the fruit on for 18-22 days and milled at Aramo. It was then sorted and graded to ECX Grade 1 standards at the Addis Ababa dry mill for export.
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping a cup of Ethiopia Aramo, from Spotted Cow Coffee Company in Mill Creek, Washington. Feel free to pull up a chair.
THE BASICS:
region: Aramo, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
farm: Aramo Dry Mill
producer: smallholder farmers
association: N/A
elevation: 1800 – 2000 meters above sea level
varieties: Ethiopia Heirloom
process: natural
certifications: standard
THE COFFEE:
The aroma of the Ethiopia Aramo is pretty standard for a natural Yirg, but it’s not as intense as most I’ve come across. In lieu of a big blueberry bomb, I smell sweet strawberry jelly and, instead of chocolate, I smell vanilla. It has floral elements, though, that remain pretty consistent with other natural Yirgs.
Taking my first few sips immediately post-brew, the flavor definitely follows the nose. The coffee has a pretty light body and a lightly creamy mouthfeel that spreads over the tongue. Vanilla ice cream and honey immediately come to mind, while orange blossom, rose hips, and lemongrass flutter throughout the finish.
As the cup cools off, its flavor profile remains pretty much the same. Its strawberry and blueberry flavors intensify a little bit, becoming more and more prominent the more the cup cools, while the honey and vanilla notes meld together to become more of a cohesive tasting note. One thing I am surprised by, though, is a very faint emergence of fresh mint leaves here in the back half of the cup.
Light body; creamy mouthfeel; citric acidity; clean finish.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Despite my reservations, every now and then I come across a natural Yirg that I find quite pleasing. Spotted Cow Coffee Company’s Ethiopia Aramo was one of those natural Yirgs.
This coffee wasn’t one that blew me or dazzled me or anything like that; and, besides the mint element, there wasn’t anything in the cup that I was particularly surprised by, either. The fact is, though, this Aramo was a really tasty and structured coffee that was pleasant on the palate; one that I really enjoyed cupping.
What were your thoughts of this one? Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome! Feel free to enter a comment below. Also remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.