Ethiopian SOE Espresso Review | Stellaria “Tomato Basil” Coffee Tasting & Brewing Guide

 Every time I go to a coffee expo, it feels like I need to come away with something for it to feel worthwhile. For me, the biggest value of these events is that they offer a concentrated window into brands and products that are new, distinctive, and sometimes even pleasantly surprising. What I’m sharing this time is another discovery from late November last year at the Shanghai Coffee Expo—a startup roastery from Shanghai called Stellaria. I noticed their booth the moment I walked by. The packaging was fresh and clean, and you could sense the emotional value the brand wanted to convey through subtle design details.

They have a rather romantic and idealistic interpretation of their brand story:

“Named after ‘celestial radiance,’ and paired with the simple ‘-ia’ suffix to enhance memorability, Stellaria captures the essence of youth and cutting-edge technological design. In Chinese, it evokes the poetic image of stars drifting quietly across the night sky, symbolizing the rich aroma of coffee and the seamless integration of innovation and comfort within a space.”

Honestly, this was the first time I felt genuinely moved by a roaster’s brand story. Perhaps because of this initial emotional connection, I found myself having higher expectations for the coffee itself.

Their lineup of beans is actually very down-to-earth, clearly positioned as daily-drinking coffees. I picked up a bag of their espresso roast on the spot—an Ethiopian SOE made from natural Hambela and natural Yirgacheffe. The pricing was also very much in the “daily staple” range. Personally, I hope to see more roasters like this—approachable, accessible, and aligned with the everyday needs of most coffee lovers. You get stable quality beans at a price that makes sense.

Although this coffee is labeled as a medium roast, judging by the color of the beans and the ground coffee after opening the bag, it felt closer to a medium-light roast to me. I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw such a light cinnamon color in an espresso bean—haha.

A Journey of Aroma and Flavor

Once ground, the dry aroma shows chocolate notes with a berry-like acidity, along with distinctly African characteristics such as sun-dried tomato. There’s slightly less citrus than expected. I started with a straight espresso. With a slightly lighter roast and single-origin beans like this, the crema is naturally thinner compared to darker-roasted blends with South American components—something you can clearly see in the cup. The crema is light, but the aroma is still quite pleasant. The acidity is especially bright and upfront, very direct on the palate, accompanied by nutty notes and milk chocolate flavors.

After that first espresso, I immediately felt this coffee would be especially well-suited for a hot Americano. Diluting it with hot water really opens up the flavors. In an Americano, it delivers beautiful floral and fruity notes, almost reminiscent of a refined “Geisha-like” profile. You get comfortable citrus notes, delicate white florals, and a pleasantly long, sweet finish. The overall cup is clean and refreshing—definitely an all-season choice for Americanos.

Next, I tested it in milk-based drinks. I made both a latte and a flat white to see whether it could hold its character in a higher milk ratio. I used Hema Fresh Milk 4.0, which has a moderate sweetness and isn’t as overpowering as something like Meiji milk. That said, in the latte, I felt the milk still slightly overwhelmed the SOE espresso due to ratio control. What came through were mainly creamy biscuit notes with just a hint of citrus. Overall, the flavor complexity was reduced, leaving more of a balanced, sweet, and smooth mouthfeel.

However, when the cup size and ratio were properly controlled and prepared as a flat white, it instantly transformed into the kind of classic Ethiopian SOE profile you’d want in a daily coffee. This landed squarely in my personal comfort zone. I could clearly taste almond notes, biscuit-like flavors from the creamy elements, and a smooth, citrus-cake-like texture. It remained clean, well-balanced, and thoroughly enjoyable.