Day 21: Ethiopia Guji – Advent Calendar Reveal

Origin: Ethiopia 

Location: Guji, Oromia Region

Altitude: 1,800-2,200 masl

Tasting notes: Maple syrup, Milk chocolate

Why Alice and Ben love it: We love this coffee for its incredible flavour and texture — it’s thick, syrupy, and beautifully floral, with a smooth, tea-like quality that makes every sip feel special.

This coffee comes from Shakisso Farm, in Ethiopia’s Guji zone, a region famous for its lush green hills, rich red soil, and exceptional coffee. The farm is run by Haile Gebre, a remarkable farmer whose life has been deeply intertwined with coffee. After a childhood marked by hardship, Haile turned his story around and built Shakisso into a thriving, community-driven farm that now spans 640 hectares and employs hundreds of local people during harvest.

The land itself tells a story it’s dotted with gold-mining holes, a reminder that both gold and coffee are treasures of this region. Despite the challenges, Haile’s dedication has helped transform Guji into one of Ethiopia’s most celebrated coffee areas.

We love this coffee not only for its floral, syrupy richness but for the passion and perseverance behind it. Every cup is a taste of Ethiopia’s heritage, Haile’s resilience, and the beauty of coffee grown with heart.

Farmer Spotlight: Shakisso Farm

Deep in the Guji zone in southern Oromia, one of Ethiopia’s largest and most culturally rich regions, you’ll find Shakisso Farm, a truly iconic name in specialty coffee. The farm was founded by Haile Gebre, a father of seven and a pioneer of organic coffee in the area, who began producing certified organic lots back in 2001.

Shakisso spans a huge 640 hectares and even runs its own nursery to grow young coffee seedlings. During harvest season, more than 300 pickers swarm the fields, with around half of them delivering cherries directly to the farm’s wet mill.

Here’s where things get interesting:
The region is famous not only for coffee… but for gold. Literally. The coffee fields are dotted with holes from gold diggers searching for treasure, making a simple walk between coffee trees feel like a cautious adventure. Because of this, one of the farm’s biggest modern challenges is simply finding enough workers to maintain the plantation and safely harvest cherries.

Guji isn’t just a coffee region. It’s the spiritual heartland of Oromo culture. The community still actively practices elements of the traditional Gada age-group system, and coffee farming runs deep in their history. For the people of Guji, coffee isn’t just a crop. It’s identity, heritage, ritual and livelihood woven together.

No wonder the coffee tastes like gold too.