Buncho Honey

This coffee is produced by smallholder farmers who contribute red ripe cherries to the Buncho washing station in the Sidama region of Ethiopia. A rare honey process from Ethiopia (typical processing in Ethiopia is usually washed or natural), this coffee boasts a candy-like sweetness with tasting notes of strawberry, dried cherry, and orange blossom honey. It’s a lovely example of a cross between a washed Ethiopia with super clean, sparkling fruit notes (think lemon and pear) and a natural Ethiopia with intense berry notes. It is sparkling, juicy, and delightful.

About the Buncho Washing Station. Buncho is one of several washing stations founded by Asefa Dukamo and MuluGeta Dukamo in the famous coffee growing region of Sidama. Asefa grew up in a coffee growing family and as a child helped his parents cultivate coffee and other garden crops. As a teenager, Asefa became a coffee supplier, meaning he would buy coffee cherries from nearby relatives and villagers to sell to washing stations. At the time, there were very limited washing stations near his village and he would often travel very long distances to find a market for his coffee. Thus, his dream of opening a washing station was born. He wanted to help coffee farmers nearby by shortening their travel time, lowering their cost of transportation, and allowing them to earn more for their coffee cherry. He opened his first washing station less than a mile from his parents’ house in 1997 and subsequently 0pened 16 washing stations and 4 dry mills with a focus on sustainability and quality.

The Sidama Coffee Growing Region. The Sidama coffee growing region is known for producing some of Ethiopia’s best coffee. This region spreads across fertile highlands where surrounding rivers and lakes, along with very high elevation, results in cool weather and fertile soil. These factors, in combination with over 100 inches of rainfall each year, cause the coffee to ripen slower (a factor leading to higher quality coffee) than other regions in Ethiopia.