“Sluuuurp!” I’m being expected to overcome decades of conditioning in polite manners in a few short minutes. And, I have to confess, I’m enjoying it immensely.
I’m in the Nespresso Brompton Road boutique, receiving a coffee-tasting masterclass from Richard, the manager. He’s taught me to admire the crema, which is a caramel-coloured layer that sits on top of a good black espresso like the head on a pint of Guinness, and to note how darker hues will correspond to a more intense roast.
Next, we stirred the crema, which releases even stronger aromas that my untrained nose struggled to decipher. “Mmm,” sniffed Richard appreciatively. “I’m getting pepper, nutmeg, mushroom notes.”
Really? It does smell gorgeous, nothing like the insipid instant coffee I am used to, but I can’t smell mushroom. “And now I’m starting to pull out a jasmine note, something almost floral. Don’t worry”, he said, catching sight of my expression, “it takes time to develop your taste and smell faculties”.
And now the slurp. Just as a good wine needs to “breathe” for a while before you drink it, good coffee tastes better when aerated. In other words, to truly savour the flavour, you need to slurp, not sip. To remind ourselves that this is a serious and highly professional operation, not just bad manners, we slurp from an official “cupping spoon”, which has a deeper bowl to hold more coffee.
I’m totally sold on this Grand Cru, which Richard then reveals is the Bukeela ka Ethiopia. It’s amazingly smooth and un-bitter, and it does have a floral kind of vibe. On the Nespresso Intensity rating of 3-12, it’s the lowest, at 3.
Next we try the Rosabaya Colombia, which is Richard’s personal favourite, “though it’s all very subjective – everyone has their own preference”. It’s acidic in taste (“bitter” and “acidic” are no bad things in coffee), with a burnt-toast aroma and a long aftertaste. Then the smoky Roma, then the sweeter, slightly nutty Livanto, and finally the Indriya, a full-bodied Indian blend that’s woody with a hint of spice.
It’s been an extraordinary journey around the globe: I never knew there could be so many different tastes and aromas. In fact, Richard says there are 900 identifiable aromas to be derived from coffee.
So even after five espressos, I can’t resist when Richard suggests one more for the road: a Kazaar, most intense of all the Nespresso Grands Crus at a mighty 12 points, and so popular as a limited edition that coffee-lovers petitioned Nespresso to keep it permanently. After the tasting sensations I’ve just experienced, I don’t blame them.
