JUMEIRAH LAKES TOWERS, DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A pinch of Almonds, a little dash of cinnamon, fresh cascara, and a spoon of ginger – the precious ingredients observed by a curious young boy. He memorized and perfected the recipe that he had spied on, before leaving his modest village of Amran – a small city in western central Yemen.
While on a great search for another truly inspirational coffee story, the Rose&Cactus (speciality coffee company) stumbled upon this treasure of a tale, about a great legend that has long been presenting the glorious Yemeni beans to all that ever had a chance to meet him.
Coffee has long been a treasure of The Yemen. Located in the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen was once famous for frankincense and myrrh. Until today it holds many precious resources such as oil, agriculturally productive land, copper, gold, iron ore, nickel, and zinc.
The boy of Amran pinched the recipe and travelled to the historic capital city of Old Sanaa. He refined the formula to the perfect taste of all the Yemeni locals. Unaware about the exceptional life he would live, the journey destined for him, and most certainly of the rich impact he would bestow on so many.
In his own rights and terms, without himself knowing it, Mr. Al Naboos soon became a self-made barista. He set up a small shop. Many rapidly recognised his marvellous coffee. As the coffee became renowned, people flocked from other parts of Yemen, arriving at the city in search of tasting the famous coffee. The precise blend travelled beyond Yemen, into neighbouring countries for every connoisseur and aficionados to enjoy. The coffee became so famous that people would approach him with empty flasks, eager to taste the rich brew conducted from his own mortar. He was incredibly proud to meet customers that travelled all the way from Abu Dhabi in search of his coffee.
His passion remained: serving to people excellent coffee. Watching their faces light up as they took their first sips. He recognised their surprise for the flavour, texture, and perfectness of the cup. The notes of apricots, spices, and almonds danced on their lips. This was his life’s work, and it was captured in his
soul. Every coffee served by him was with a precious smile, a glisten in his eyes, and great warmth beaming from his heart.
When asked what his favourite coffee was, Yemeni Boon would be the answer. Mr. Al Naboos would say: “Yemen coffee has a long and great history among all other countries.” I could not agree more.
First consumed as a beverage in western Yemen in 1450. The discovery of that mysterious little bean was just the beginning of how we know coffee culture today. From the science of roasting to the knowledgeable and artistic baristas. Yemen was the first country to export coffee. By the 1700s most of the the country’s profits came from coffee export and the world’s supply of coffee came from Yemen. For more than 70 years Mr. Al. Naboo’s coffee was shared with millions. He is a legend in his own right.
“You will not find anything like Yemini coffee in the entire world” quotes Mr. Al Naboos to the Rose&Cactus team.
– Yahya Bin Hizam Al Naboos (1934 – 2021)
