Blueberry jam, passionfruit and floral aromas. Hawk’s lively character begins with Mohammed Aba Nura, a coffee producer in the highlands of western Ethiopia.
Some coffees catch your attention immediately. An aroma you weren’t expecting, a fruit note that becomes clearer as the cup cools, or a sweetness that stays with you after the last sip.
Hawk is that kind of coffee.
It's story takes us to Jimma, in western Ethiopia, where Mohammed Aba Nura grows the coffee behind our light-to-medium roast. Following that story brings us closer to an individual producer, his family’s farming history and the group of growers working alongside him.
A family connection to the land
Mohammed began farming coffee in 1998 after inheriting land from his father, continuing the work of two generations before him.
His farm lies in Omafuntulay, within the Gomma district of Jimma. Published producer profiles place his coffee at approximately 2,000–2,100 metres above sea level.
That gives Hawk a specific starting point. Beyond a country name on the bag, there is a producer whose work we can recognise and a place we can identify.
The family connection also extends beyond farming. Mohammed is described as enjoying time with his five children and gathering with family and friends on the farm.
It is a small detail, but an important one. The place producing this coffee is also part of someone’s home and family life.
Working together through Tokuma
Mohammed belongs to the Tokuma Farmer Group, a collective in western Ethiopia formed in 2018.
Its members share knowledge and market their coffees together, pooling resources while creating opportunities for individual producers to reach international buyers.
For coffee drinkers, this makes the producer’s identity easier to follow. A coffee can carry the name of the person who grew it, supported by a wider network of expertise and relationships.
That is what we value in Hawk’s story: being able to introduce Mohammed by name and acknowledge the collaboration around his work.
The variety behind the flavour
The coffee selected for Hawk is identified as JARC 74110.
A number may seem an unusual name for a coffee variety, but it points to a specific selection associated with the Jimma Agricultural Research Centre. Published information on Mohammed’s coffee traces this variety to selections from the Metu-Bishari forest, chosen for characteristics including resistance to coffee berry disease.
Variety is one part of the flavour story. Growing conditions, harvesting, processing and roasting all contribute to the finished cup.
Knowing the variety gives us another useful detail in that journey, rather than relying on a broad description such as “Ethiopian heirloom”.
Naturally processed, carefully dried
Hawk is naturally processed, meaning the coffee dries within the whole cherry before the dried fruit layers are removed.
Raised drying beds allow air to circulate around the cherries. Managing drying carefully is essential to preserving quality and developing a clean, enjoyable cup.
Natural processing can contribute to expressive fruit character, but it does not determine every flavour on its own. The particular coffee and the care taken throughout production remain just as important.
In Hawk, we describe the result as blueberry jam, passionfruit and floral notes. These are tasting references, helping explain the sweetness, brightness and aroma you may recognise when brewing it.
There are no blueberries or passionfruit added to create those descriptions.
Roasted in West Sussex
Once the green coffee reaches our roasting partner in West Sussex, the focus turns to developing sweetness while preserving Hawk’s distinctive character.
We choose a light-to-medium roast for this coffee. The aim is to give its fruit and floral qualities room to stand out, supported by enough development for a balanced cup.
Roasting is a matter of managing heat over time. A colour description helps set expectations, but tasting tells us whether the balance is right.
For Hawk, that means an expressive aroma, lively fruit character and sweetness that makes the coffee enjoyable beyond the first interesting sip.
Why we named it Hawk
The Hawk T1 is closely associated with the Red Arrows: an aircraft whose displays bring together precision, energy and teamwork.
That combination provides the inspiration for our coffee’s name.
Hawk has an expressive character in the cup. Its bright fruit notes and floral aromas make it a natural fit for an aircraft associated with such vivid, memorable displays.
There is also something appealing about the work behind the performance. A display depends on preparation and coordination; a distinctive coffee depends on careful decisions from the grower through to the roaster.
The aircraft gives Hawk its name. Mohammed and his coffee give it its identity.
Bringing Hawk to life at home
A filter brew is a useful place to start if you want to explore Hawk’s aromas and fruit character. Try it black, then notice how your impression changes as it cools.
As espresso, it offers another way to experience the same coffee, with its flavours concentrated into a smaller cup.
Our coffee brewing guides provide starting points for grind size, coffee-to-water ratios and technique. Use them as a foundation, then adjust to your taste.
From Mohammed’s farm in western Ethiopia to roasting in West Sussex, Hawk brings together a series of considered choices. Knowing who stands behind the coffee makes those flavours more meaningful—and gives us a producer to recognise each time we open a bag.