Mrs Claus Christmas Blend

Mrs Claus
Christmas Blend

Behind every great Christmas is someone who makes it all sparkle, and that’s Mrs Claus. Where Mr Claus is warm and spiced, she’s bright, fruity and a little bit indulgent.

At her heart are two washed coffees from Kenya. The first is Nyota, which means “star” in Swahili, a fitting name for the top of any Christmas tree. It’s grown at 1,500 to 2,000 metres in the Central Highlands and processed the traditional Kenyan way: pulped, fermented, carefully washed and sorted to AB grade. It brings berries, plum, caramel and gentle spice. Alongside it is Adumu, grown up to 2,000 metres in the cool, volcanic soils of Central Kenya. The cherries ripen slowly there, building the sweetness and clarity behind its notes of cherry, raspberry, milk chocolate and a playful hint of cola.

Then we’ve added something special from Colombia: a rare Chiroso grown by Jairo Arcila at his Santa Mónica farm in Quindío. Chiroso began as a natural mutation in the mountains of Antioquia and has since won top prizes at the Cup of Excellence. This lot was fermented for 45 hours and dried whole in the cherry, so the fruit sugars soak deep into the bean. It scored 88.75 points and tastes of caramelised cherries, dark chocolate and toffee.

Together they make a cup like a slice of Christmas cake: plum and cherry, raspberry brightness, caramel and chocolate, with a hint of spice to finish. It’s best enjoyed black, as a pour-over or filter, but it’s sweet enough to be just as lovely as an espresso.

Tasting notes: caramelised cherry, plum, raspberry, toffee, chocolate, spice
Origins: Kenya Central Highlands (Nyota), Central Kenya (Adumu) and Santa Mónica, Quindío, Colombia (Jairo Arcila)
Process: Kenyan components washed. Colombian Chiroso natural with 45-hour aerobic fermentation.