Heleanna, the living legend of Ethiopian coffee, is by far one of the most inspirational persons I know.

She runs Moplaco, an Ethiopian export company widely known for their quality. At Moplaco they buy coffees either from the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) whose objective is “to ensure the development of an efficient modern trading system” or directly from washing stations and farms in the best places of Ethiopia. After selecting their top lots, the coffees are sorted and milled with such care.

This coffee comes from a washing station in Harbegona, a small place in Sidamo, bordering to Bensa. Heleanna has an agreement to buy all the coffees from this washing station that scores over a certain point. That means that the coffee is bought outside of the ECX but will go thru the ECX system for cupping and grading. This is the second year they buy this coffee. The beans are very small, but beautiful.

Heleanna is a fantastic person that knows a lot about coffee and means a lot about coffee and the coffee trade. And I really respect her and the work she is doing in Ethiopia. 

For the Brattestø project it was quite clear that I had to get some of her coffee, and so after having cupped a few lots I landed on this one and had it air freighted from Addis to Oslo so that I can share it with you.

Please enjoy.

- Bjørnar