Ninetyplus Ethiopia NistuRuz: Upgraded Washed Profile

If you’ve ever tasted a washed Ethiopian coffee and wished it had more clarity—more fruit, more floral lift, or just a cleaner expression of terroir—then the upgraded NistuRuz from Ninetyplus is likely the answer you didn’t know you were looking for. This isn’t just another Yirgacheffe-style cup. It’s the result of a precise, profile-driven approach to processing that brings out subtle notes many other washed Ethiopians miss.

The NistuRuz coffee from Ninetyplus is a washed Ethiopian single origin with a complex flavour profile: floral, lemon, honey, lychee, and Assam black tea. It's grown at 1800–2100 metres altitude using Ethiopian heirloom varieties and processed via a custom ProfileProcessing method. Its official internal grading is H2, denoting high fruit intensity despite being a washed coffee.

What Is Ninetyplus and Why Does Their Coffee Stand Out?

Ninetyplus is a Netherlands-based specialty coffee producer and exporter, founded in 2007 by Joseph Brodsky. Since 2008, their coffees have appeared in barista championships worldwide—in 2013 alone, six World Barista Championship finalists used Ninetyplus beans. They are known for rare, high-scoring green coffee, elite cultivars, and an innovative approach to cultivation, harvest, and post-harvest processing. Their proprietary ProfileProcessing system tailors every step of production to enhance specific flavour profiles, especially those bright, juicy, and floral notes prized in competition and filter coffee.

How Ninetyplus Classifies Coffee Differently

Rather than organising coffee by traditional processing methods—washed, honey, or natural—Ninetyplus uses a flavour-first classification. Their system includes three tiers: W2, H2, and N2. These refer not to the processing method itself but to the intensity of fruit character each coffee expresses. That means you might find a washed coffee in the H2 tier (high fruit intensity) or a natural in the W2 tier. The focus is always on the cup profile, not just the label. NistuRuz falls under the H2 category—a washed coffee with intense fruit and floral characteristics.

The NistuRuz Profile: What Makes It Different?

NistuRuz is part of Ninetyplus’s LevelUp series, a sub-brand developed in partnership with BodhiLeaf. Unlike most commercial beans named after regions or farms, NistuRuz is labelled in the local Ethiopian language, describing its dominant flavour. This particular coffee offers a vivid sensory journey: the dry fragrance bursts with flowers, lemon, and orange peel. The wet aroma leans into honey and citrus, while the brewed cup delivers elegant notes of honey-lemon, kumquat juice, and a juicy mid-palate reminiscent of lychee. It finishes with the rounded, slightly spicy depth of Darjeeling black tea.

Key attributes:

• Dry fragrance: floral, lemon, orange peel
• Wet aroma: honey, citrus, kumquat
• Cup profile: honey-lemon, lychee, Assam tea finish

Origins and Processing Details

NistuRuz comes from Ethiopia, grown at elevations between 1800 and 2100 metres. The variety is listed simply as “Ethiopian heirloom”—the broad term used for the hundreds of native landrace varieties unique to the region. More importantly, it is processed using a customised washed method under Ninetyplus’s ProfileProcessing system. This isn’t your standard washed process. Each lot is adjusted for harvest timing, fermentation control, drying curves, and moisture targets, all fine-tuned through repeated cupping and correction cycles. The goal is to highlight the intrinsic fruitiness of the variety without overcomplicating the cup.

Technical details:

• Country: Ethiopia
• Region: Ethiopia (specific micro-region unnamed)
• Altitude: 1800–2100m
• Process: Washed (custom ProfileProcessing)
• Variety: Ethiopian Heirloom
• Flavour notes: floral, lemon, honey, lychee, black tea

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NistuRuz coffee from Ninetyplus?

NistuRuz is a high-altitude Ethiopian washed coffee produced by Ninetyplus under their LevelUp sub-brand. It is classified as H2, meaning it has a high-intensity fruit profile despite being washed. The coffee features floral, citrus, and tea-like notes, with flavours of lemon, honey, lychee, and Assam black tea.

What makes Ninetyplus coffee different from other specialty beans?

Ninetyplus uses a proprietary system called ProfileProcessing to tailor growing, harvesting, and processing methods to each coffee’s desired flavour profile. Unlike standard categorisation by region or method, they classify beans by fruit flavour intensity (W2, H2, N2), allowing washed coffees to appear in the H2 (high fruit) category. Their approach results in highly distinctive and competition-level profiles.

What does the H2 grade mean in Ninetyplus’s system?

H2 is Ninetyplus’s internal classification for coffees with high fruit flavour intensity. It does not refer to processing method—H2 coffees can be washed, honey, or natural. NistuRuz is a washed coffee with an H2 grade, meaning it expresses strong fruity and floral notes typically associated with higher-rated natural or honey processed beans.

Where is NistuRuz coffee grown?

NistuRuz is grown in Ethiopia at elevations between 1800 and 2100 metres. The exact micro-region is not specified, but the altitude and Ethiopian origin suggest optimal conditions for high-quality Arabica with vibrant acidity and complex fruit character.

How is NistuRuz processed differently?

NistuRuz is processed using a custom washed method developed through Ninetyplus’s ProfileProcessing system. This involves precise control over harvest timing, fermentation, drying, and moisture levels, all adjusted through iterative cupping. The result is a cleaner, more expressive cup compared to standard washed processes.

What does LevelUp mean in the Ninetyplus lineup?

LevelUp is a sub-brand of Ninetyplus, co-developed with BodhiLeaf. It focuses on Ethiopian coffees named after their flavour profiles rather than regions or farms. Names are in local Ethiopian languages and describe tasting notes directly, such as NistuRuz, which refers to its specific aromatic and flavour characteristics.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Ethiopian Profiles

For drinkers exploring Ethiopian flavour profiles like those in Ninetyplus NistuRuz, FrontStreet Coffee offers several excellent options. The Ethiopia Huakui is a naturally processed coffee with intense berry and tropical fruit notes, showcasing the wild side of Ethiopian heirlooms. For a more classic washed expression, try the Ethiopia Gedeb, which highlights citrus, jasmine, and stone fruit typical of Yirgacheffe-region beans. Both are single-origin Ethiopian coffees that let you experience the country’s renowned cup complexity, freshness, and vibrancy. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.