Coffee review – India Plantation AA Little Flower, by Kopi

June 2012, for a lot of people, meant only one thing – Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and the related celebrations. While the actual day was a bit of a wash-out, we eagerly anticipated Kopi’s Diamond Jubilee Special Edition delivery.

Don’t worry – coffee beans haven’t suddenly started growing in the fields of Kent. No, Kopi’s choice of coffee to commemorate the occasion stems from India, which of course is part of the Commonwealth, of which The Queen is the official head.

Maybe not traditionally known for its coffee production (it’s definitely more of a tea nation), India does have its fair share of plantations and coffee producers (of the latter, there are currently around 250,000). This coffee comes from the Little Flower estate, which sits 4,500 feet above sea level at the southern tip of the country.

According to Kopi, coffee has been transported from India to Britain since the 18th century, which means that there is a history behind this particular coffee.

Kopi recommend having Little Flower as an espresso, but we prefer a bigger mug of black coffee, which is what we made to assess its taste. To say that it is a mild coffee would be an understatement – it is aromatic in the way that good tea is, and all of the major flavour elements (earth, vegetables, spices) are pre-empted in the smell.

Little Flower is advertised by one coffee expert as having a hint of chili, which we didn’t pick up on, but the fresh, grassy tones were very pleasant indeed. We were a bit disappointed with the lack of punch that a single spoonful carried – we might pile on a bit more next time.

Kopi advise to take care when adding milk to any coffee made with Little Flower, and we’d have to agree – this isn’t a coffee that lends itself to sweetening or softening due to its delicacy.

You can sign up to Kopi’s gourmet coffee delivery service here.