Ethiopia, considered the cradle of coffee, is famous because it was in the Kaffa region’s forests where Coffea Arabica grew wild. Nowadays, coffee is grown in many different regions within Ethiopia and is mainly produced by smallholder farmers, with traditionally small production plots. They deliver their cherries to central washing stations rather than processing their coffee with their own machinery. At the washing stations, the beans are carefully sorted before being processed. Coffees from Sidamo have a distinct character and unique cup profile that justify considering them as some of the best in the world. The region hosts some of the country‘s highest altitudes for coffee cultivation, ranging from 1,500 to 2,200 masl. As a result, coffees ripen slowly and hence develop more intense flavors. Sidamo is also the source of many of Ethiopia‘s grade 1 and grade 2 beans, its two highest quality grades. A great example is this natural lot of the Jarc 74158 variety. It was produced by a small group of farmers located in the village of Shantawene in the municipality of Bombe, in Bensa. The group is composed of around 300 farmers, who deliver their cherries to the Ayla – Testi Coffee Washing Station. During the harvest season, red ripe cherries are collected and then immersed in water tanks to remove any floaters. Then they are slowly dried on raised beds for 30 days. The beds are strategically installed in spaces exposed to more wind rather than extreme sunlight, helping the cherries to dry slowly and keeping the embryo active and healthy throughout the drying period.