Aricha Nocturne

The smallholders of Aricha Aricha is not the work of a single estate but of a community of smallholder farmers cultivating coffee throughout the highlands of Yirgacheffe’s Gedeo Zone. Their gardens sit at approximately 1,900–2,100 metres, where fertile soils, consistent rainfall and cool conditions encourage cherries to mature slowly. During harvest, ripe cherries are delivered to Aricha Washing Station. The station works with around 1,500 local growers and provides the shared infrastructure required to sort, assess and carefully dry each delivery. Quality teams monitor cherry selection and manage the coffee across raised African beds, turning the cherries regularly to encourage even drying. The relationship between numerous small farms and one specialist station is central to the identity of Aricha coffee. Indigenous Ethiopian varieties, selective harvesting and carefully controlled natural processing combine to create the floral aromatics, fruit complexity and refined sweetness for which Yirgacheffe is celebrated.