You might remember a couple of weeks back I was buzzing with a rare diversion into drinking caffeinated coffee. The beans in question were from Xavier Coffee. Their Emporio Blend won a bronze medal won a bronze medal in the 2009-2010 Golden Bean roaster awards (milk based coffee category).
The roaster generously gave me a kilo of freshly roasted beans to try out, and I’m pleased to say that their Emporio Signature blend is a very pleasant blend indeed, even after aging for a little while it’s possible to get a good crema out. A couple of days after roasting it doesn’t really work for espresso, but after a couple of extra days to smooth out, the edges come off the roast, the acidity mellows, and it ends up working well as a black coffee.
Where it really shines, though, is in milk. Even fairly fresh from the roasting it’s a smooth, well balanced cup with some excellent flavour, and a pleasant, lasting aftertaste. Suffice to say that if you see this coffee on offer, jump in and try it.