Ethiopia Sidama Shantawene Natural – Blue Bottle Coffee

Blue Bottle Coffee is one of the most iconic specialty coffee roasters in the country and is well-known around the world. As one of the pioneers in specialty coffee, I couldn’t believe it took me this long to try their coffee. I have a full review of their coffee subscription coming soon which features a variety of their single-origin coffees. Naturally processed Ethiopian coffees are my go-to style though, so I wanted to feature this one individually first.

The coffee begins with a rich, sweet fragrance of berries & cream. I specifically smelled blueberries and strawberries, which evolved into a crisp & sweet aroma including more floral notes during brewing. The flavor was a lovely mix of berries and strong rose, floral notes. I also tasted notes that reminded me of vanilla. The acidity was sharp, but not harsh and the medium to full mouthfeel was smooth and creamy. The sweet rose and honeysuckle sweetness was quite unique and an attribute of the coffee I especially enjoyed. The coffee had a nice balance and the play between floral and fruit notes worked quite well. That pairing, as well as the evolution of the sweetness in every sip, created some wonderful complexity in the coffee.

The Bottom Line

I’m excited to finally get to feature Blue Bottle and this naturally processed Ethiopian was a great place to start. With its fruity floral profile and complex sweetness, it was a coffee I enjoyed quite a bit.