Wush Wush: Where Does This Variety Come From?

Wush Wush is an Ethiopian landrace variety named after the small town of Wush Wush in the Kaffa region of southwestern Ethiopia — one of the most biodiverse coffee-growing areas on earth and the ancestral homeland of arabica coffee. The Kaffa region is where wild arabica coffee was first identified and where genetic diversity remains highest, preserved in forest ecosystems that have supported coffee trees for thousands of years. Wush Wush was identified in this region and preserved in international coffee collections before being distributed to specialty producers in Colombia who recognised its extraordinary cup potential.

In Colombia, Wush Wush has been cultivated primarily in Huila, Tolima, and Antioquia — the same regions where other Ethiopian-heritage landraces like Chiroso, Ombligon, and Pink Bourbon have found their Colombian expression. It is a low-yielding, tall-growing variety with elongated cherries and copper-coloured leaf tips — visual characteristics shared with other Ethiopian-heritage varieties grown in Colombia. Its cup profile is among the most delicate in the specialty repertoire: floral and tea-like, with bergamot, jasmine, and chamomile notes that make it one of the few coffees that genuinely challenges Gesha for aromatic complexity.

Finca El Obraje

Finca El Obraje is a specialty-focused farm in Huila committed to the cultivation of rare varieties at high altitude. The farm's decision to grow Wush Wush — a variety that demands careful agronomic management and produces limited yields — reflects a quality-over-volume philosophy. The name obraje historically referred to a workshop or artisan production space in colonial-era Colombia: a fitting name for a farm whose coffee is crafted rather than simply grown.

Roasters Carrying Wush Wush Lots

Brew Guide