On November 7, 2016, we saw return of Starbucks Reserve Christmas Blend at the Starbucks Roastery. This is not the same Christmas Blend that is in Starbucks stores everywhere during Christmas. The Reserve Christmas Blend is a lighter roast profile (technically it is a blonde roast) using Aged Sumatra and Hacienda Alsacia coffee from Costa Rica.
In order to get ready to have enough Christmas Blend for the Roastery and select Starbucks stores across the nation, Starbucks begins roasting some of it in August. This would be the earliest runs of the coffee.
I dropped by the Roastery on August 7, 2016, and caught some Christmas Reserve coming out of the roaster, as roasted by Starbucks partner Casey:
Starbucks Reserve Christmas 2016 will be available in select Starbucks locations across the United States and Canada, beginning in early December.
This year’s Reserve Christmas is so amazing. As a shot of espresso, it’s super sweet and citrusy. I’ve had it iced from a Chemex and picked up really herbally notes! It’s a unique change of pace as an iced coffee. And of course, it’s beautiful just as a drip cup of coffee. You get the spiciness of aged Sumatra with beautiful citrus and sweet elements from the Costa Rica coffee.
On November 10, 2016, I dropped by the Roastery and ran into Cliff Burrows. We made small talk. In the course of the conversation, he mentioned how much he loved Christmas Reserve as a shot of espresso. He recommended that I walk down to the Experience Bar area of the Roastery and have it just as a solo shot of espresso.
After our five minutes of small talk, I found myself wandering down the stairs to the Experience Bar to have a solo shot of Christmas Reserve. I mean, if Cliff tells you, ‘Go drink a shot of espresso’ , what other choices do you have? You go drink the espresso.
I connected with partner Dru at the Roastery and told him that I had to order a shot of Christmas Reserve ‘just like Cliff’ did. And Dru said, ‘He was just down here. He had a solo shot – no sparkling water, no cookie. You want just the shot, no water, no cookie?’ I confirmed my order.
My only point to this long story is that Cliff nailed it. You need to try Christmas Reserve as an espresso.
Here’s what Christmas Reserve 2016 looks like:
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