Haraz occupies some of the very highest coffee country in Yemen, with coffee grown on precipitous terraces at 1,700–2,600m.
Haraz occupies some of the very highest coffee country in Yemen, with coffee grown on precipitous terraces at 1,700–2,600m.
Natural processing yields complex, ferment-inflected flavor — blackberry, spice, wine, cacao — over a powerful full body.Production is tiny and lots are hard to find; no origin transmits the wild character of Yemeni landraces more vividly.
Haraz’s terraces are too steep to mechanize, so harvesting and sorting remain handwork to this day. On parcels above 2,000m the cherries take their time, concentrating sugar, acidity and aromatics all at once. The winey, powerful cup is Yemeni coffee at its purest and most distilled.
Civil war and trade constraints make Haraz coffee swing sharply in availability from year to year. Lots you do encounter deserve care: once opened, store the beans airtight in a cool, dark place rather than rushing through them. A medium roast in a French press or nel drip delivers the wine-like finish and generous body in full.
Draws out the wine-like flavor delicately. The trick is not letting the water get too hot.
Yemen’s traditional brew. Add spices for an even more authentic taste.
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