Square Mile Coffee - Autumn Espresso

I deliberated for a couple of weeks deciding whether or not to order a couple of bags of beans from Square Mile Coffee Roasters. This is not because I was unsure of what the quality would be. They are the people who roast for Flat White cafe. No, my hesitation was purely based on what it would cost to have the coffee sent to Ireland. But last week I decided to go ahead and order some beans, mainly for three reason plus and obvious fourth:

1) I had just run out of my stash of Flat White beans.
2) It would be cheaper than me flying to London.
3) They come in 350g bags as appose to the regular retail standard of 250g.
and 4) I was just curious!

Despite there being a postal strike in the UK my coffee arrived today - a seasonal short-run blend: Autumn Espresso - with a roasting date stamp of 28th September. One week for the beans to settle. Perfect.

I wasn't in a position to try them out straight away, but for the next couple of hours my mind was distracted from productive work just at the thought of running them through my machine. (Good grief! I really am starting to think I might have a problem.)

Eventually I got my chance! Cutting open the top of the bag I gave it a gentle shake and then stuck my nose in for a good sniff. Ahhhh, a wonderful nutty smell combined with the sweet aroma of warm buttered toast.

I was amazed at my first shot of espresso that I pulled. The pour was a delight to watch and the crema was incredibly thick - about half the volume of the shot itself. I was amazed that my little machine could get such a result. It proved to me what you achieve with fresh roasted, high quality beans and a grind seconds before pulling the shot.

And the taste? After sipping through that crema the flavour was warm and fairly sweet, kind of like dark chocolate. Then, a second or two after tasting, a fruity sharpness comes back and pokes you in the throat. Coffee is so multi-sensory. I love it!

I followed up my espresso with a double shot latte. The added milk made it caramely and really quite rich. Perhaps even too rich for my taste. I'll see what tomorrow brings.

Alas, I had to pull myself away and get on with the rest of the day; so maybe I don't have such a problem after all. That said, I have been thinking about the coffee a fair bit this evening...