If a morning cup of Joe is a must you will appreciate the coffee Yemen Al-Haimi, a single-origin bean from the Aberdeen roastery Figment Coffee.
Al-Haimi is named after the farm at which the beans are grown and then supplied to Figment by Warfair, an organisation which operates in war-torn regions supporting local businesses as part of the peace process.
It’s one of a number of single-origin coffees brought to the marketplace by Neil Glover who runs Figment Coffee. He said:
“We’re delighted to support Yemeni farmers with this naturally produced coffee which is not only delicious, and supporting Yemen’s recovery, but is really a bit special – it’s a local variety, Heirloom Yemen Odaini, which is amongst the oldest genotypes of coffee in the world.”
Neil explained that although it’s widely recognised that the coffee tree has its roots in Ethiopia, records show that coffee was first consumed in Yemen as early as 1450.
“Yemen started exporting coffee in the 1700s, supplying 6% of the world’s coffee by 1800. This has fallen to just 1% due to demands on quantity and rising costs, coupled with the fact that Yemen has been involved in a catastrophic war since 2014.”
"Warfar works closely with an organisation called Yemen Journey which ultimately supports farms like Al-Haimi. We hope that our customers really enjoy this coffee.”
Tasting notes
I can certainly testify to the quality of the brew. It is full-bodied, fresh, creamy, and fruity. It also has ‘je ne sais quoi’ – whereby you know you are drinking something special. Figment describes it as a complex and floral blend with an abundance of sweetness and body.
Buy it
Buy it online for £14.95 in a tin sporting a camel, the traditional method for transporting coffee beans from small farms to the port of Mocha.
Figment also has single-origin coffees from Panama, Kenya and Costa Rica. Customers can take out a monthly subscription. The taster box, priced at £22, has four different types of coffee.
I for one will be signing up. If I can have a fantastic cup of coffee in the morning with the knowledge, I am supporting small farmers globally - what’s not to like (S. Wilson).
The Figment Coffee shop and roastery is at Countesswells Road, Aberdeen.
