Where Is Mocha Coffee From and Why Is Harar Rare?
Washed Harar comes from the eastern highlands of Ethiopia, which is also where is mocha coffee from in this context: Harar is an ancient coffee trading hub and an autonomous region that long served as a gateway to eastern Ethiopia. The washed version is scarce, with a defect rate of only about 1 percent and limited supply to specialty markets.
Harar's dry climate favors the natural process, known for fruity and red-wine notes, though natural lots vary in quality, which makes washed Harar unusual. This lot grows at roughly 2,600 meters with the Heirloom variety, mainly longberry beans. Under medium-light and medium roasts it shows honey aromatics, orange peel, fine black tea and chocolate, with a solid body and long finish.
On the eastern highlands of Ethiopia, Harar is an ancient city with a deep heritage in the coffee trade. The coffee produced here has always been famous for the fruity and wine-like notes of its natural beans, while washed Harar is an extremely rare specialty batch with a defect rate of only 1%, supplied exclusively to the specialty coffee market in very limited quantities. This Front Street washed Harar is sourced from surrounding growing areas at an altitude of about 2,600 meters, with the Heirloom variety, mainly longberry beans. Under medium-light and medium roasts, it presents a complex flavor interweaving honey aromatics, orange peel, fine black tea, and chocolate, with a solid body and a long finish. This article will take you through the background of the Harar region, the rarity of the washed process, and how this bean's flavor changes under three roast levels, so you can experience its unique exotic charm.
A once-in-a-century Front Street Ethiopian washed Mocha Harar, blending the charm of orange peel with fine black tea.
Harar is located on the eastern highlands of Ethiopia and is a critically important specialty coffee region in the country. Administratively, Harar is an autonomous region and has been a famous coffee trading hub since ancient times, as well as an important gateway to eastern Ethiopia. In the 19th century, the French poet Rimbaud ran a coffee business here, an anecdote sufficient to show Harar's position in the global coffee market at the time.
Harar has a dry climate, and the region mostly uses the natural process for coffee, which is famous for fruity and red-wine-like notes. However, the natural process also causes greater fluctuations in bean quality. If you can buy an outstanding Harar natural bean, you are truly lucky.
Washed Harar is said to be among the first specialty products, specifically supplied to markets with strong specialty coffee consumption such as the United States and Japan. After its launch, it was snapped up by buyers everywhere, and the quantity is extremely scarce! (Beautiful emerald-green washed Harar, with a defect rate of only 1%.) For this rare Front Street washed Harar, the coffee is sourced from areas around Harar and finally processed centrally in Harar. The coffee trees are basically planted in high mountain areas at an altitude of about 2,600 meters, and the bean variety is the ancient Heirloom, mainly longberry beans, conforming to the standard Harar characteristics.
The different flavors of Front Street medium-roast washed Harar under three roast levels
Front Street medium-light roast washed Harar: In the aroma, honey notes and orange peel are clearly distinguishable, the sweetness is excellent, and most uniquely it carries a black-tea-like aroma. The body is more solid than that of ordinary Sidamo or Yirgacheffe.
Front Street medium roast washed Harar: The orange aroma is still obvious, but because the roasted flavor increases, the lifted quality is not as pronounced as with medium-light roast. Caramelization is more complete, and both body and sweetness are much improved. The black tea aroma remains but is slightly weakened, and the chocolate aroma unique to Mocha beans begins to emerge.
Front Street medium-dark roast washed Harar: The orange and black tea aromas almost disappear, leaving only chocolate aroma in the lead, and the flavor appears relatively simple.
It is recommended to enjoy this rare Front Street washed Harar at medium-light or medium roast, to experience the exotic charm of black tea aroma blended with honeyed orange aroma!
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
