Coffee origin
Yemeni coffee: the original Mocha, fruity and wild
For centuries the world's coffee left from the Red Sea port of Al-Mokha in Yemen. Dutch traders sold it as "Mocha", a name still used today.
- Usual processing
- natural (dried in the fruit)
- Species
- arabica
- Typical notes
- dried fig, stone fruit, berries, jasmine
Profiles are typical descriptions from the sources on each page. Every farm, harvest and roast is different, so read the roaster's own tasting notes too.
How it tastes
Yemeni coffees are described as fruity, with stone fruit, dried figs and berries. An exporter quoted by Perfect Daily Grind highlights raspberry and jasmine in the best lots.
Where it comes from
Coffee grows on terraces cut into dry, rocky mountains. Farmers use traditional methods and dry the coffee in the sun on raised beds, inside the fruit. After the Ottomans took Yemen in 1536 they held a near monopoly for about 150 years. Later, seeds reached India and Java: in 1721 about 90% of the coffee in Amsterdam came from Yemen, but by 1726 Java supplied most of it.
The two great arabica lines, Typica and Bourbon, spread from Yemen to the rest of the world. Today the civil war makes exporting hard, so Yemeni coffee is rare and expensive.
How to enjoy it
Try it as filter coffee first, to taste the dried fruit. Its body is enough for a fruity espresso, too.
Shop Yemen coffee
Search Yemen beans on AmazonBefore you add to cart: look for a roast date, the words 100% and whole bean. Our buying tips explain why.
Shop buttons open a search in your local Amazon store. We don't check stock or prices, and as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
← 🇯🇲 Jamaica Blue Mountain🇮🇩 Sumatra →
Sources
We checked these sources on the date above. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the contact page.