Nekisse Coffee Beans: Ethiopia Sidamo Natural Review

If you’ve tried Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and found it bright and tea-like, but still wonder what the fuss is about high-scoring Ethiopian naturals, Nekisse might be the coffee that changes your mind. Sourced at extreme altitudes, this lot stunned cuppers with its aromatic complexity and layered evolution over time — even earning Coffee Review’s highest score of 96 back in 2010. But what makes this particular Ethiopian coffee so different?

Nekisse is a 96-rated Ethiopian natural from the Sidamo region (Shakisso area), grown at 1,700–2,000 metres, and scored as that year’s top coffee by Coffee Review. Its unique fruit-forward, spicy, and wine-like profile develops significantly over multiple days post-roast, especially when brewed as pour-over.

What Is Nekisse Coffee? The Origins

Nekisse is the third coffee discovered by Ninety Plus (after Aricha and Beloya) in 2010 that met their stringent quality standards. It originates from the Shakisso district in Ethiopia’s Sidamo zone, specifically around Aleta Wondo. The region had already attracted attention in 2008 when a trial lot exhibited intense fruit (strawberry jam), cinnamon, flowers, chocolate, and apricot notes. By late 2009, the profile developed even more pronounced, dense apricot and spice tones, leading to its commercial release in spring 2010.

Flavor Profile: Why Nekisse Stands Out

Nekisse delivers a refined, elegant cup rather than the overt perfume-like fruitiness of some other Ethiopians like Aricha or Beloya. Its strength lies in its restraint, depth, and transformation. Though the beans are small due to high elevation, they deliver extraordinary sweetness. Unlike brighter, more effusive profiles, Nekisse reveals its complexity gradually — especially as it cools.

Key tasting notes include strawberry, peach, citrus, cream, and passionfruit. The dry fragrance is intensely spicy, and the wet grounds emit a powerful aromatic profile. Flavors shift notably over the first two weeks post-roast: days 3–5 bring sweet viscosity, days 7–10 highlight juicy fruitiness, and days 12+ introduce wine-like acidity.

Roast Influence & Brewing Notes

Nekisse performs well with both light and dark roasts, though the resulting profiles differ greatly. Light roast highlights sweet florals, large berry notes, juicy sweetness, honey-like finish, and bitter-sweet spices. Dark roast brings brandied fruit, blackberry (often resembling strawberry), citrus and bergamot acidity, syrupy mouthfeel, and semi-sweet chocolate.

The recommended brewing approach is pour-over using a medium roast. Grind to a sugar-fine consistency (Fuji Conical Burrs at 3–3.5), use water at 93–96°C, and aim for a 1:15–1:20 brew ratio (typically 1:17–1:18). Total brew time should be 3–4 minutes with at least 15g of coffee. Use neutral, odor-free water with TDS around 150 ppm.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is special about Nekisse coffee beans?

Nekisse is a high-scoring Ethiopian natural processed coffee from Sidamo that gained global recognition for scoring 96 points from Coffee Review in 2010. It features a complex, evolving flavor profile with intense fruit, spice, and floral notes, and becomes more expressive as it cools and ages post-roast.

Where is Nekisse coffee from?

Nekisse comes from the Shakisso area in the Sidamo region of Ethiopia, near Aleta Wondo. It is grown at elevations between 1,700 and 2,000 metres above sea level.

What processing method is used for Nekisse?

Nekisse is processed using the natural (dry) method, labeled as N2 by Ninety Plus. This involves drying the coffee cherries in the sun with the fruit left intact, which contributes to its intense sweetness and fruity complexity.

How should I brew Nekisse coffee?

The recommended method is pour-over using a medium roast. Use a grind size similar to sugar (3–3.5 on Fuji Conical Burrs), water temperature between 93–96°C, a brew ratio of 1:15–1:20 (commonly 1:17–1:18), and a total brew time of 3–4 minutes with at least 15g of coffee.

What does Nekisse coffee taste like?

Flavor notes include strawberry, peach, citrus, cream, and passionfruit. The coffee has a sweet, syrupy body, wine-like acidity, and a honey-like finish. Over time, its profile shifts from thick sweetness to bright juiciness and eventually to winey complexity.

How long does it take for Nekisse to develop its full flavor?

Nekisse shows noticeable flavor development 3–5 days post-roast, with peak complexity typically emerging between 7–12 days. The coffee continues to evolve for up to two weeks, offering different tasting experiences during that window.

Recommended FrontStreet Natural Process Ethiopians

For fans of Nekisse’s fruit-forward, spicy Ethiopian naturals, try FrontStreet’s Ethiopia Humbera — a classic Yirgacheffe-style natural with notes of blueberry, jasmine, and tropical fruit. Also consider FrontStreet’s Red Cherry — a Yirgacheffe natural with intense tropical fruits, citrus, and honey sweetness. Both are medium-light roasts ideal for pour-over. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.