After Ethiopia came Yemen - at least where coffee is concerned. Yemeni coffees are from one of the oldest sources of the bean in the world. (Note: Some Yemenis dispute Ethiopia being first, but we can say for certain that Yemen is one of the original two, and Yemenis do have the honor of being in the first blended coffee - Mokha-Java.)

Coffees from Yemen are most distinct, and by the connoisseur, highly praised coffees in the world. Yemen coffees are the epitome of a "wild" cup and can border on scary at times because of their deep earthy, complex, pungency with overlays of dry fruit (think raison), cardamom, dry cinnamon, and tobacco notes. My wife says that Yemen coffees are bitter and fermented, and while I love her dearly, we part company here. I love a great Yemeni!

Yemeni coffees have a great history that has ripple effects today. Mokha is not chocolate, no matter how many coffee shops insist on calling chocolate-flavored coffee drinks Mocha. Mokha is, in fact, the port city where Yemeni beans were loaded up into wooden hulled sailing ships manned by low-land sailors coming home from the island of Java, hence Mokha-Java blend. In fact, this historical accident of a blend was a natural fit as the funky wildness of Mokha blends nicely with the brighter cleaner Javanese bean.

Yemeni coffees are dry-processed wild coffees, raised traditionally without chemicals, that with a brave palate, you just might fall in love with. By all means, take a swig of this brew!