The natural Sidamo brings the same classic and well-known Sidamo taste as its washed counterpart. But of course, there are notable profile differences. For washed Sidamos, lighter and fruitier tastes pop up like peach, lemon, and bergamot. But analyze the specific notes of naturals, and you will bump into tastes of wine and cherries.
Read what our Q Graders found after cupping countless naturals from the Sidamo zone.
The natural Sidamo offers the same balanced complexity and core notes as the washed profile. Taste-wise, think about citrus fruit, stone fruit, and florals. However, the difference in fermentation reveals more depth and structure in the fruity notes. Naturals lean towards winey tastes, which present a range of characteristics often associated with flavors and taste sensations from wine as a generic beverage. We see more texture and ripe fruit instead of fermented fruit flavor notes: from elegant light and vibrant to mouthfuls of pinot noirs with endless depth.
The acidity remains high, citric to citric-malic adding versatility to the cup by highlighting key characteristics of the profile.
The mouthfeel of a natural is medium to thin. The character of the Sidamo steers the mouthfeel to a juicy and smooth sensation.