Yemen - Haraaz Collective / Jaadi & Dawayeri / Natural

From the mountainous landscapes of East Haraaz in Yemen comes a remarkable natural coffee, bringing together three individual nanolots grown by three farmers across the neighbouring villages of Bani Murrah and Obaraat.

Yemen holds a unique place in the history of coffee, with centuries of cultivation deeply connected to its mountainous landscape and the communities that inhabit it. Coffee farming here is often carried out on steep, terraced mountainsides, where challenging growing conditions, high elevations and traditional agricultural practices have shaped some of the world's most distinctive coffees.

This particular lot is a beautiful example of that heritage, bringing together the work of three smallholder farmers: Abdullah al-Nadem and Murad al-Jermuzi from Bani Murrah, both cultivating coffee at approximately 2,300 metres above sea level, and Hussein al-Ezzi from Obaraat, whose coffee is grown at 2,200 metres.

What makes this coffee particularly special is not simply its origin, but the relationships and careful selection behind its production.

Sourced by Saify Burhani Coffee Traders through a close connection within the Dawoodi Bohra community, to which all three farmers belong, the coffee was purchased directly as ripe cherries, with each producer receiving an upfront cash payment at a significant premium above the prevailing local price.

Rather than combining the harvests immediately, each farmer's cherries were purchased and processed separately, preserving the individual identity of each nanolot throughout the post-harvest process.

The coffee comprises two traditional Yemeni varieties, Jaadi and Dawayeri, both cultivated at extraordinary elevations where cooler temperatures and slower cherry maturation contribute to the development of complex flavour characteristics.

Following harvesting, the ripe cherries are meticulously hand-sorted to remove defects before undergoing traditional natural processing. The whole cherries are spread across raised drying beds and left to dry under the sun for approximately two to three weeks.

During this period, the coffee remains enclosed within the fruit, allowing moisture to gradually evaporate as the cherries dry. This traditional approach to natural processing contributes to the development of sweetness, fruit character and the distinctive depth often associated with Yemeni coffees.

Once drying is complete, the coffees are hulled and prepared for evaluation, with each of the three nanolots remaining separate until the final cupping stage.

It was only after tasting the coffees individually that the cooperative decided to bring them together, recognising how their different characteristics complemented one another. The final composition consists of 70% coffee from Bani Murrah and 30% from Obaraat, creating a single lot that represents the combined work of all three farmers.

The entire production amounted to just 27 kilograms, making this an exceptionally small and carefully assembled release.

In the cup, this coffee offers a wonderfully distinctive sensory experience, with notes of quince, nutmeg and cooked mango. There's a beautiful interplay between ripe, concentrated fruit sweetness and a gentle, warming spice character that gives the coffee an almost savoury complexity.

For us, there's something reminiscent of Sudan Rume in its aromatic profile, particularly the unusual combination of fruit, spice and delicate complexity. It's a character that feels quite different from the bright florals of Panamanian Gesha or the intensely fruit-driven profiles of many modern experimental naturals.

What makes this coffee especially memorable is how these flavours come together. The quince brings a fragrant, slightly tart fruit quality, while the cooked mango adds a deeper, rounded sweetness. The nutmeg-like spice runs gently through the cup, creating a layered and wonderfully intriguing finish.

Beyond its remarkable flavour, this coffee represents the work of three individual farmers, a shared community and a thoughtful approach to sourcing that values both quality and the people responsible for producing it.

We originally acquired this coffee from the 2024 harvest and have kept it carefully preserved as frozen green coffee in our freezer ever since. Freezing green coffee allows us to slow its ageing and better preserve the qualities that made it so special when we first tasted it.

Having held onto this small allocation, we're now delighted to make it available as part of our special releases, offering an opportunity to experience a beautifully distinctive Yemeni coffee that we've been saving for the right moment.

Beyond its remarkable flavour, this coffee represents the work of three individual farmers, a shared community and a thoughtful approach to sourcing that values both quality and the people responsible for producing it.

A rare opportunity to experience a wonderfully distinctive expression of Yemeni coffee, and one we're incredibly pleased to finally share with you.

Net weight: 100g.

Flavour profile: Quince, nutmeg, cooked mango.

[Note] This coffee is roasted to order as a filter only. Please allow 1 – 2 days for dispatch.