The Fields: Hambella, Ethiopia

Its back baby! The return of this classic Ethiopian fruit-bomb. This edition marks the sixth appearance of Hambella as The Fields and brings with it a more refined idea of how natural Ethiopians can taste. Whilst still abundant with tropical fruit flavours this year's harvest is showing less funk and more finesse.

Grown in the Guji zone of southern Ethiopia at elevations above 1,900 metres, this lot comes from Hambella Farm, a 200-hectare estate established by brothers Aman and Michael Adinew. Aman is a respected figure in Ethiopian coffee, having previously led quality control at the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) and overseen the country's first speciality coffee laboratory. That commitment to quality continues to shape everything that happens at Hambella today.

While much of Ethiopia's coffee is produced on small garden plots alongside other crops, Hambella combines estate production with close collaboration across the surrounding farming community. The farm employs 28 permanent staff and more than 700 seasonal workers during harvest, around 70% of whom are women. Local growers also have access to agronomy and processing support, helping improve coffee quality and strengthen incomes throughout the region.

Although the coffee is grown in Guji, it is processed just across the district border in Gedeb, within the Gedeo zone. Cherries are selectively hand-picked before being laid out on raised drying beds. Over the course of 21 days they are carefully turned and monitored, allowing the fruit to dry slowly and evenly under the Ethiopian sun.

Expect an expressive profile of ripe berries, tropical fruit and juicy stone fruit, lifted by delicate floral aromatics and a sweet, wine-like body. There's plenty of intensity here, whether brewed as espresso or filter, but it's delivered with elegance rather than excess.