This washed Ethiopian coffee comes from Tayebo Aba Bulgu, a member of the Tokuma group of smallholder farmers in Agaro. The coffee features varieties 74110, 74112, and 74140, grown at 2000 meters altitude. The profile includes candied citrus, bergamot, peach, and rosey florals, with tasting notes of candied lemon, white tea, and rose. The producer only processes coffee they grow themselves, ensuring high traceability.
Bow Smith, Holden Curran, and Jessi Lee Cord launched Rowan Coffee in October 2020 as a mobile espresso operation in Asheville, North Carolina, growing quickly into a permanent home. Bow brings nearly a decade of barista, roasting, and management experience, and began roasting in house in January 2023 on a 15 kilo Mill City Roasters machine. Rowan centers mainly on washed process coffees, prizing clarity and complexity, with green beans sourced from specialty importers including Semilla, Osito, Red Fox Coffee Merchants, and The Coffee Quest. Everything is roasted to order on Tuesdays and shipped the following day. The approach is deliberate and seasonal, letting each coffee speak to where and how it was grown.
