It was 2007, when i tasted my first (high altitude) natural processed coffee ever. This was my short review:
The Ethiopia IDIDO Misty Valley (Yirgacheffe) must have been the best coffee i ever cupped. An incredible combination of well known Mokka's and Yirgacheffe, but with much more taste, very sweet, caramel, lemon zest, a lingering body and strong spiced chocolate aftertaste. Fantastic!
Actually it wasn't my first unwashed Ethiopian coffee, but in those days i didn't realize that the all famous Mokka Harrar was something comparable in process but with a different taste profile.
Maybe you can say that Harrar coffees, grade 4 or 5 Jimmas or classic Brazils are always natural processed and this Misty Valley Idido was natural on purpose to enhance certain flavors.
On my first visit to Ethiopia in 2009 i learned a bit more about it. Abdullah Bagersh, who was the initiator of the Idido Misty Valley, explained how he came up with the idea and what it could mean for the future of coffee. He also told me that lots of people were angry at him and argued this process ruined the authentic flavors and that the result in the cup didn't taste like 'coffee' anymore.
I never had problems with this new type of coffees and learned quickly that it stood not so far apart from fermenty Harrar grade 4 or certain Yemen beans, but just better, cleaner, less earthy.
Around 2010 we saw more and more natural (or dry) processed Ethiopian coffees popping up and we were eagerly promoting it in our bar.
But it was only by 2015 that these type of coffees reached their full potential, people were coming back for it and the best ones started landing in our TOP 5 (best coffees of the year).
Probably the wider appreciating started to come when in those years also Central American producers launched natural processed lots and because of improved practices the beans were shaking off their fermented barnyard-like flavors and a wider audience started to drink them.
We were always clearly mentioning the processing of these type of coffees, but it lasted till June of this year before we launched a specific bag for our Natural offers, called Miss XX. More info on the Miss XX phenomenon in earlier blog posts.....
After 6 months of Miss XX the pink colored bags are flying off the shelf and we can't follow buying and roasting new lots. The type of coffees we are looking for Miss XX are 'clean cup naturals' with a focus on sweetness and body, eventually with a hint of funk and acidity.
This IDIDO fits the description perfectly and is a 960 kgs lot, probably good for 8 weeks of fun.