We have been deeply captivated by the coffees from Bensa over the past several years. Of all the coffee-producing regions in the world, this area continues to deliver some of the most complex and compelling profiles we have encountered. This year marked our most successful season yet as we worked to build a more intentional and nuanced sourcing project in the region—but we see it as only the beginning. Hamasho, in particular, has produced some of the highest-scoring coffees we have ever tasted. This lot is an exploratory honey process, and we could not be more excited to share it. Ethiopia is widely acknowledged as where coffee originated, and its production continues to represent about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. DNA testing has confirmed over 60 distinct varieties growing in Ethiopia, making it home to the most coffee biodiversity of any region in the world. Given the tradition of coffee production in Ethiopia and the political interworkings of the Ethiopian coffee trade, it is virtually impossible to get single variety coffee lots from Ethiopia. This is changing, albeit very slowly. Most Ethiopian coffees are blends of the many Ethiopian varieties, and referred to simply as 'Ethiopian Landrace'. The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole. Hamasho has long produced some of the highest-scoring coffees in the world. This exploratory honey process lot was made possible through the dedication of the contributing producers and our exporting partner, Elto, to whom we are deeply grateful. In the cup we find ripe blueberry, peach tea, and lychee.