RESERVE: Hejrat Women - Yemen
RESERVE: Hejrat Women - Yemen
A light roast, natural process coffee from Hejrat Al Ain, Yemen, grown at 2,000 to 2,300 masl. Dried fruit, wine, and molasses from exclusive Yemenia trees. Grown by Amira Al-Qadhi, whose 2024 lot placed 7th in the Best of Yemen Auction.
The Divine Details
The Sensory Sacraments
We Hold Onto Coffee Because It Holds Onto Us.
In Hejrat Al Ain, where coffee terraces wind across stone-built slopes between 2,000 and 2,300 meters above sea level, Amira Al-Qadhi farms with a care that has earned her global recognition. Her lot, grown from exclusive Yemenia trees and processed naturally, earned 7th place in the 2024 Best of Yemen Auction, a testament to her mastery of this extreme terroir.
Amira learned to farm young, absorbing every stage from planting to protecting trees from local pests, standing among the elders before she could even reach the branches. Today, her household of 27 works in shifts to maintain their nine terraces, holding around 700 trees. There's no room for error here. With no irrigation, the crop depends entirely on rain and seasonal springs, and in dry years, yields fall sharply, making every bean precious.
"We hold onto coffee because it holds onto us," she says, a sentiment that defines her commitment to her family, her land, and the generations that came before her.
Coffees in this series are sourced exclusively through Qima's fresh cherry supply chain, ensuring meticulous processing and complete traceability down to the individual farmer. Offered as either village lots or unique single-farmer lots like this one, the series highlights the dedication and individuality of Yemen's coffee-growing communities.
This lot is also part of AXIS MUNDI, our joint collection with Qima Coffee celebrating the places where heaven meets earth, coffees inspired by the concept of the axis mundi found across many of the world's religions and cultures.
Some of this coffee's genetics trace back to Yemenia, a pure Arabica "Mother Population" discovered by Qima Coffee and scientists from the Alliance for Coffee Excellence a few years ago, representing an entirely new branch of Coffea Arabica genetics. We were part of the first global auction where Yemenia was introduced to the world in 2020, and bought one of the top lots. We can't afford those top lots anymore, everyone else figured out how good it was too, but we did everything we could to bring you a piece of it again.
What the faithful say
Ye hath not lived untilst ye layeth the roasted bean of Yemen on thine tongue.
Seriously, though, this is one of the best smelling, and best tasting roasts. I recommend using an aeropress for the perfect extraction.
I was very surprised at how outstanding this coffee is. The aroma and flavors are exceptional. I will have to order more!
While pricey, for good reasons mentioned at the maestros at Mad Priest, this is definitely a special coffee. On the grind this roast results in a sweet and tart complex bloom of fragrances leading to notes of blood orange. If you are a French Roast die-hard, be prepared for a new experience.
Savory leaf, leather and exotic bark leading to aromatic wood tone, maybe subdued cinnamon or sandalwood, and blood orange tartness. The flavors are so complex: rich dried slightly spicy fruit, maybe fig, some herbal red tea notes, and a blood orange tone that is unique in my experience in the rarer Yemen coffees.
One last thing: this coffee has a long resonant finish that is very satisfying. This was an exceptional acquisition. Thank you.
So good. This coffee makes me want to go to bed early, so I can get up and have more.
What a treat. What an experience. Savor, savor, savor! Used a French drip and it was exquisite. Highly recommend!
These beans made the most interesting cups of coffee I've ever had.