Kebir\Guji Shakiso

Tasting Notes: Pineapple liqueur, passion fruit, durian, boozy

Fragrance/Aroma: Pineapple liqueur, passion fruit, creamy
Acidity: Rounded, citric
Body: Syrupy, juicy
Aftertaste: Slightly dry, boozy finish

The fragrance opens with an immediate impression of pineapple liqueur, bright and tropical but softened by a creamy undertone. Passion fruit sits alongside it, contributing a sharper, more aromatic edge, while the overall character carries an unmistakable boozy quality from the outset.

On the palate, pineapple liqueur takes centre stage almost immediately. Rounded citric acidity gives the fruit a lively lift without becoming piercing, while the syrupy, juicy body amplifies the impression of concentrated tropical fruit. The pineapple remains remarkably persistent, carrying through much of the cup with a candied, liqueur-like sweetness.

Mid-palate brings a brief interlude of passion fruit. Its tangier, more perfumed character cuts through the richness of the pineapple, providing a moment of contrast before the cup moves into a deeper and more unusual finish.

As the fruit begins to recede, notes reminiscent of XO durian emerge, bringing a creamy bitterness and a distinctive fermented richness. Rather than presenting as overtly savoury, it integrates with the existing boozy character, giving the finish a dense, almost liqueur-like quality. The aftertaste is slightly dry, with the alcoholic impression lingering alongside traces of tropical fruit and creamy bitterness.

The result is an unapologetically expressive cup, with pineapple liqueur providing the dominant thread from beginning to end, passion fruit offering a fleeting burst of acidity and aroma, and XO durian adding an unconventional creamy depth to the boozy finish.

Shakiso, in southern Ethiopia, is a high-altitude coffee-growing region situated near the well-known coffee-producing areas of Guji and Yirgacheffe. Coffee is cultivated primarily by smallholder farmers, who typically manage plots of around 2–5 hectares and deliver their harvested cherries to centralized processing stations.

The region’s coffees are naturally characterized by bright citrus acidity and delicate florals. For this lot, carbonic maceration (CM) further amplifies these qualities, introducing greater sweetness and aromatic complexity alongside flavors reminiscent of red wine and berry jam. Borrowed from winemaking, the CM process uses a controlled anaerobic fermentation environment to influence the development of flavor compounds during processing. The result is a distinctly expressive coffee that combines Shakiso’s inherent floral and citrus character with the deeper fruit intensity and wine-like complexity associated with experimental fermentation.

Sourced from: Comansa
We paid: S$39.53/kg
Roasted cost: S$56.67/kg

Moisture content: 11.2%
Weight loss: 13.7%
Agtron: W78.9 / G111.0 / △32.1