#SunbeanArtOfCoffee at ITC Grand Central, Mumbai

Move over single origin coffees, it’s the time to brew blends of your favorite morning beverage. Under the brand name SUNBEAN GOURMET COFFEE, ITC's Branded Packaged Foods business is bringing to our breakfast table two very rich, slow roasted and meticulously blended coffee fusions with the crème de la crème of Indian and Central American coffee beans.

​These are NICAMALAI & PANAGIRI and these two coffee bean formulations have been arrived at after having tried more than thirty-five flavor combinations and clearing twenty-one quality checks of different coffee beans from the aforementioned geographical regions.

At the #SunbeanArtOfCoffee meet recently, Christopher from the Sunbean Gourmet Coffee product development team walked us through the creation of NICAMALAI and PANAGIRI blends and their flavor construct:

• NICAMALAI combines the goodness of 100% Arabica coffee from Nicaragua in Central America and Anamalai hills in India. This coffee is highly aromatic and has nutty and fruity flavor notes characteristic of beans of two aforesaid provinces respectively. The coffee has toned down acidic levels and a creamy expression. The union of these two coffee growing lands in this coffee is represented through a special package design that has the Toro Huaco hat, symbolic of Nicaraguan tradition flanked by two elephants that are illustrative of the legacy of Anamalai Hills.
• PANAGIRI is an amalgamation of Arabica coffee beans picked from mountain slopes in Panama and Baba Budangiri in India. The package design for this pack too is representative of characteristic elements of the two abovementioned areas – eagle and deer respectively. A flavor profile of this aromatic and mildly acidic coffee sans milks works on the palate as under:
  • First Note: Rich Coffee
  • Mid-Tongue: Chocolatey
  • End Note: Buttery

After understanding the bean to cup journey of Sunbean gourmet coffee, it was time to get a little creative and engage in latte art demonstrated by Barista Ashwath Ram. He gave novices like me a few tips on going about it in our homes and also created lip-smacking classic coffee preparations like cappuccino, Americano, Café Mocha and his signature creation with Panagiri blend, the cinnamon coffee shots.

For those seeking to buy Sunbean Gourmet Coffee blends can currently do so from coffee shops at select ITC Hotels in your city.
​
So, do try out this premium coffee and let me know of your experience.
Till then, HAPPY BREWING…