Ethiopia Yirgacheffe – Banshee Coffee Co

Banshee Coffee is a roaster based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. I recently tried their Ethiopia Yirgacheffe and Mexico Chiapas. I have tried many, many Ethiopian coffees through the years, but I love the origin in part because I am still surprised by what I find in Ethiopian coffees still to this day.

The coffee begins with a smooth, sweet and chocolate-toned fragrance. It was light in intensity and not what I expected for a naturally processed Ethiopian coffee. The flavor was incredibly delicate and had subtle notes of citrus, floral, fleeting berry and chocolate. The coffee’s body was extremely light and tea-like. Even at 1:15 (a fairly strong ratio), the coffee felt too weak and required me to go down to 1:13 to keep the light body, but give it enough strength to not feel weak.

The acidity was citrus-toned and strongest at the front. The sweetness had a mixture of flavors (fruit, citrus, caramel), but was delicate like the rest of the coffee. The finish was unique and reminded me of lemongrass. The coffee was complex with lots of layered flavors, but they were all fairly subtle and delicate.

The Bottom Line

This Ethiopian Yirgacheffe was definitely unique and unexpected. It was a lot of fun to explore and once I dialed it in and started brewing at a stronger ratio was quite delicious. It is a great option for someone who enjoys a more subtle cup of coffee without the big, bombastic flavor notes that can accompany a naturally processed Ethiopian coffee.