Ethiopia | Jigesa - Washed Filter

From the Guji highlands of Ethiopia comes Jigesa — a washing station perched at nearly 1,900 metres above sea level. Operated by Testi Coffee, Jigesa brings together the work of around 500 smallholder farmers from the surrounding villages of Dambi Uddo, Wese, and Suke. Each farm is tiny — often two to five hectares — intercropped with food crops and shaded by native trees like acacia and birbira. The altitude and cool climate slow cherry development, producing the dense, sweet coffees that have helped define Guji as one of Ethiopia’s most expressive regions.

At Jigesa, attention to detail runs deep. Only ripe cherries are accepted and floated to remove underripes before pulping within hours of arrival. The coffee then ferments for 36–48 hours in clean water before a final soak and slow drying on raised beds for up to 12 days. This careful washed process gives the coffee its hallmark clarity — a cup that’s bright and floral with notes of honeysuckle, pineapple, green apple, and honey. The result is a transparent expression of both place and process.

Beyond flavour, Jigesa represents community and evolution. Around 200 women are employed at the station each harvest to hand-sort parchment, providing vital seasonal income for local families. The station also formed the foundation of Testi Coffee’s Premium Cherry Selection program — rewarding farmers for quality and traceability rather than volume. That quiet shift has changed livelihoods and raised the bar for what Guji coffee can be: generous, refined, and deeply human in every sense.