Coffees Stars

Coffees Stars
From Hancock & Abberton

Dublin based Hancock & Abberton were celebrating on the double at the recent Great Taste Awards when two of their coffees won gold stars. Their Really Good Organic Coffee, two stars this time, had won before and great to see a repeat but the surprise was perhaps the performance of their Decaf Coffee that was awarded one star, “indistinguishable from regular coffees in the blind tasting”.

I got the opportunity to sample both winners recently and yes that Decaf, made from 100% Arabica beans, is a pleasant surprise, all the elements of a good coffee, particularly those delicate floral notes, without the caffeine. Here’s what the Great Tastes judges said: ”a deep satisfying flavour, with good length. Well balanced bitterness and acidity with a refreshing aftertaste. …, gentle on the palate but nevertheless has depth. An excellent coffee of its type”.

Guy Hancock and Anne Abberton, who co founded the firm in 2004 (initially known as Café de Cuba) were naturally delighted to announce their Two Gold Stars and One Gold Star at the Great Taste Awards, the world’s most coveted blind-tasted food awards , which celebrates the very best in food and drink . “This win for our decaf coffee is also an testament that great tasting coffee need not be compromised by decaffeination.”

Really Good Organic Coffee has previously won two Gold Stars in the Great Taste Awards 2012 and repeated that feat.  It has been described by the judges as a coffee with “a lovely roasted aroma, clean citrus taste and rewarding aftertaste and mouth feel, the whole experience is well balanced between bitterness and acidity and complexity”. It is indeed another excellent coffee made from dark beans with a distinctive shine; it is rich and strong, well balanced and satisfying, especially earlier in the day!

Judged by over 500 of the most demanding palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs and producers as well as a whole host of food writers and journalists, Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers. So quite a pat on the back for Hancock and Abberton.

As well as a badge of honour, the unmistakeable black and gold Great Taste label is a signpost to a wonderful tasting product, which has been discovered through hours and hours of blind-tasting by hundreds of judges.

There were 10,000 Great Taste entries this year and the panel of judges included; TV chef and author, Valentine Warner, MasterChef judge and restaurant critic, Charles Campion, fifth generation baker, Tom Herbert from Hobbs House Bakery, and Great British Bake Off winner, Frances Quinn; food buyers from Harrods, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols and Waitrose and chefs including, James Golding, chef director of THE PIG Hotels, and Kevin Gratton, chef director of HIX Restaurants.

These two coffees now join the company’s other Great Taste Award winning brands including Café de Cuba Santiago (Great Taste Award Winner 2014 and Fixx Coffee (Great Taste Winner 2013 and 2009).

Hancock & Abberton supply to:­-
Trade customers such as cafes, hotels, restaurants, offices, showrooms and speciality retail outlets;
Coffee and Tea drinkers who frequent our trade customers’ outlets;
Coffee and Tea drinkers at home via the on line store
Stockists: http://www.hancockandabberton.com/blog/buy-really-good-organic-coffee-in-ireland.html