We have been closed-up inside our apartment 2 months now, and as a consequence, I’ve been responsible for my own coffee at that time. Like many people, I took this opportunity to grow and expand their knowledge of coffee, and get familiar with the local roasters and support the local businesses that are struggling at these hard times. Whilst technically the first two coffees I had were from Cogito and Round Hill Roastery, both some of my favourites, I only had one at the time and it was hard to compare them to other selections. Thus the first real comparison comes from the London staple, Square Mile.

The coffee that I got were:

Red Brick seasonal espresso

I haven’t cupped this one but instead used it in a Moka pot and as an AeroPress “espresso” coffee. Is was nice and well rounded, asking for a bit coarser grind for AeroPress than I’d usually do (about 18-19 on the comandante grinder). Overall, definitely a recommendation.

Muungano - D.R.C

This one is what I’d call an ultimate filter coffee. The flavour notes were clean [1] and the sweetness came through beautifully, especially when made in the Aeropress. Although it produced a very clear cup in a v60, and the berry flavours did shine through, it did feel like the nuances were very very subtle. It’s hard fo fault this coffee honestly, other than saying that once you’ve tried it, it becomes a bit … standard? This would definitely be my go-to if I could pick only one coffee for a filter, but if you’re looking for experimentation, do look elsewhere.

[1] square mile is one of the few companies where I actually trust the flavour notes

Finca David - Bolivia

Whilst I had high hopes for something surprising from this one, as it (on the paper at least) has very different flavour profile than most other South American varieties from Square Mile (and it is more expensive than most), I was somewhat disappointed. It was a delightful mix of slight fruity notes that I usually associate with African coffees and a full body of South American ones which sounds like a great combo, and it is for day-to-day experiences. However, the issue I had is that while its characteristics were very clear when compared in a cupping environment to the DRC above, it is actually harder than I’d expect to distinguish them in an average v60. This coffee falls more into my sweet spot in terms of flavour (I do lean towards South American coffees, to begin with anyway), but for the additional 4 pounds, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend it over any other Square Mile filter that I’ve tried.

Overall, I’d recommend any coffee from Square Mile. They are, in my mind exactly what I’d expect a speciality coffee to be. Distinct origin characteristics, clear flavour notes, and - for the blends - incredibly consistent. Having said that, sometimes I wish they’d experiment a bit more and come up with something wild and unexpected (like the Cogito anaerobic I ran into last year).