London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

A London coffee shop is charging $64 for its premium brew -- here's what it tastes like

A London coffee shop is charging $64 for its premium brew -- here's what it tastes like

Coffee connoisseurs have been invited to sample one of the finest brews in the world at the Queens of Mayfair coffee shop-- providing they can travel to London and pay £50 ($64) a serving.

If you can get to London and have a spare $65, you may be able to sample one of the finest brews in the world.

Ground and brewed "tableside" by your own personal barista, the "Ethiopian Cup of Excellence Queens Coffee" is served in a crystal wine glass and is a generous portion that might even stretch to two.

With only 15 servings on offer, this isn't your average latte or flat white, so don't even think about asking for milk, sugar or a sprinkling of chocolate on top.


The newly opened coffee shop aims to be the finest in London.


Based in a very upscale district of Central London, the Queens of Mayfair coffee shop has already sold more than half of its available stock, which can only be drunk on the premises as part of an exclusive experience.

Victoria Sheppard, who founded Queens of Mayfair with her sister, Grace Sheppard, told CNN that one customer, who described themselves as a "coffee fanatic" is traveling from several hours away to sample the drink.

"We have coffee connoisseurs coming to us from all over the place," she said, describing their latest acquisition as a "very rare commodity".

This particular lot of Ethiopian coffee beans won first place in the Cup of Excellence, a prestigious annual competition for high-quality coffees.

It was bought back in June and roasted last month by Difference Coffee, the roaster that supplies Queens of Mayfair and one of only eight firms worldwide that was invited to bid on the beans.

The coffee was graded 91.08/95 by the competition's international panel of judges and coffee experts following rigorous tasting and testing, according to Queens.

The beans retail for up to £2,000 per kilogram (around $2,600) and are truly fair trade as the Cup of Excellence program is designed to reward farmers for excellence, which means they receive most of the auction price -- 155 times the normal commodity price.

It's one of many rare premium coffees the sisters intend to showcase at their cafe, which opened just last month.

Aside from this flagship flair, however, the rest of the menu is considerably more accessible. A regular espresso goes for just over two pounds and you can pick up British classics like a sausage roll for £4.50 or cheese and toast for £6.

The cafe, which also serves reasonably priced wine and cocktails, opens late to catch the evening crossover crowd.


Head bartender Massimo Golfetto prepared the coffee for CNN Travel.


CNN Travel headed down to Mayfair, where head bartender Massimo Golfetto weighs out the portion to the gram, grinds it by hand at our table and expertly brews it in a glass V60 filter, which has a 60-degree angle, allowing the coffee to drip at an optimal flow rate.

"It's lighter, almost see-through," he explains, as he pours the brew into the curved glass with its elegant stem. "It looks more like a tea than a coffee."

As an Italian used to punchy espressos, he says, "When I had the coffee for the first time, it was a completely different experience."

Raising the glass and taking a sip, the aroma is floral and the flavor delicate and light. It may be one of the few experiences of 2020 not to leave a bitter taste in the mouth. When it comes to coffee, this creation proves that might isn't always right.

The curved glass "catches all the flavors, to get a better experience on the nose," explains Golfetto.

The flavor evolves as the coffee cools, its character unfolding like petals.

"It's like a fine bottle of wine," says Sheppard. "It's not about the strength or the most pungent coffee. It's about the flavor complexity and interesting tasting notes."


There is already great interest in the exclusive coffee experience.


The process involves a three-minute "blooming phase," which is when the flavor really develops and intensifies, she explained.

In all, 250 grams of water is added to 15 grams of coffee. The liquid passes through the glass filter into a carafe, before being served in a crystal glass.

Purists will be pleased to hear that the coffee is served black and straight up.

Adding milk would be "like getting a fine wine and topping it up with soda water," says Sheppard. "It's very much about the raw taste in something organic and unmodified."

Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
0:00
0:00
Close
Make Orwell fiction again
CIA Official Arrested for Leaking Intelligence on Israel-Iran Conflict
Special counsel Jack Smith asks the court to dismiss his appeal regarding Trump in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.
BORIS: UK May Deploy Troops If Trump Cuts Support to Ukraine
Trump Administration Taking Shape: No Invitations Issued to Nikki Haley or Mike Pompeo
Iranian Man Charged in Plot to Assassinate Donald Trump
£3 Billion of British Taxpayer Money Spent by UK Government on Hotel Costs for Migrants
Unlike the shock and profound sadness at 10 Downing Street, British citizens assembled for an impressive rally backing the elected President of the United States, Donald Trump.
Elon Musk Predicts Justin Trudeau's Electoral Defeat
Here's why: Scott Presley convinced swing voters in Pennsylvania with a clear and direct question.
Royal Estates Earning Millions from Public Services and Charities
Siemens Acquires Altair Engineering in $10.6 Billion Deal
The man who got hit by a bus and immediately went back to the pub is strong! Beer is very important.
Donald Trump files $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News, accusing them of 'deceptively doctoring' Kamala Harris' '60 Minutes' interview
Formal Address for Meghan Markle at Invictus Games
Understanding the US Electoral College System
Apple Launches AI Features on Select iPhones
JP Morgan Sued Customers Over Viral Cheque Fraud Scheme
King Charles to Continue Global Tours Despite Cancer Diagnosis
Venice Extends Tourist Entry Fee Program to 2025
Tommy Robinson Charged Under Terrorism Act for Phone Offence
Plans to Increase Employers' National Insurance Announced
Washington Post Editor-at-Large Robert Kagan has RESIGNED after owner Jeff Bezos BARRED the endorsement of Kamala Harris.
Massive Theft of Artisan Cheddar from Neal’s Yard Dairy
US Man Charged with Murder of Co-Worker over Breaks
Carbon Monoxide Incident Claims Lives at UK Care Home
Birmingham Airport Evacuated Due to Suspicious Vehicle
Former US President Barack Obama raps the lyrics to Eminem's ‘Lose Yourself’ after the rapper introduces him at a Kamala Harris rally in Detroit
KYIV URGES NORTH KOREAN TROOPS IN UKRAINE TO SURRENDER
Ofcom Identifies Link Between Social Media Posts and UK Unrest
Russian Boxer Receives Lifetime Ban for Illegal Move in Boxing Debut
Biden Labels Trump a Threat to Democracy
McDonald's Linked to E. coli Outbreak Leading to One Death
Teacher Enoch Burke arrested at Wilson’s Hospital School in Ireland after refusing to endorse and affirm transgender ideology.
FBI Investigates Leak of US Intelligence on Israeli Strike Plans
Israeli Airstrike Targets Hezbollah's Financial Resources
China’s Baidu is revolutionizing transportation with its robotaxi service
Angela Rayner Secures Permanent Seat on UK National Security Council
Russian Ambassador Claims UK's Proxy War in Ukraine
Doctor Advocates for Assisted Dying Law Reform
Ruth Davis Appointed as UK’s First Nature Envoy
Pressure Mounts on Starmer to Discuss Reparations at Commonwealth Summit
James Cleverly’s Costly In-Flight Catering for Government Trips
AI Regulation Takes Center Stage in 2024 US Presidential Campaign
NASA Study Explores Potential Microbial Life Beneath Mars' Ice
Cats: The Liquid-Like Pets
Netanyahu Condemns Alleged Hezbollah Assassination Attempt
Liam Payne's Tragic Death: Tributes Pour In
Cuba's Power Struggles: Nationwide Blackout Strikes Again
Xi Jinping Urges Troops to Prepare for Conflict Amid Taiwan Drills
×