Blackwall Estate Espresso | Notes Coffee

This is Notes Coffee Roasters' Seasonal House Espresso — the exact coffee served across their London stores, now available to brew at home. Blackwall Estate showcases Rio Brilhante, a family-run farm in the Cerrado Mineiro region of Brazil, roasted to bring out hazelnut, milk chocolate, and candied orange peel.

The packaging for this coffee is 100% home compostable — simply place it in your local authority's organic waste bin once you're done.

About Notes Coffee Roasters

Notes Coffee Roasters is based at Unit 2, Blackwall Trading Estate, in East London, where this coffee is roasted. Notes runs a network of coffee shops across London and uses Blackwall Estate as its rotating house espresso — the coffee served by default at the bar. Each release is chosen to give a consistent, crowd-pleasing cup while spotlighting a different origin and producer.

About the Coffee – Rio Brilhante, Brazil

Rio Brilhante sits in the Cerrado Mineiro region, fed by clear, crystalline springs across more than 1,500 hectares of fertile land. The farm was acquired in the 1980s by Inácio Carlos Urban, who named it after the lot's namesake at an altitude of 1,150 metres. What began as a single farm has grown into one of the country's larger agricultural operations, now run alongside his sons as Rio Brilhante Café de Origem — a family business built on scale without sacrificing quality.

The farm's quality credentials speak for themselves: 1st place in the 2017 Cerrado Coffee Japan contest, 2nd place at the Rainforest/Imaflora contest in the natural category, and 3rd place in the regional Cerrado Mineiro contest, also in the natural category.

What Makes This Coffee Special

This lot is naturally processed, a method common across the Cerrado Mineiro region's dry climate, where whole cherries are dried slowly with the fruit still intact around the bean. Done well, this builds sweetness and body into the cup — and Rio Brilhante's award-winning natural lots are a strong example of the process at its best.

The coffee is grown across a blend of Paraiso, Arara, and Topazio varieties, each contributing to a rounded, balanced final profile rather than a single dominant characteristic.

What to Expect in the Cup

Expect a smooth, approachable espresso with notes of hazelnut, milk chocolate, and candied orange peel. The natural process brings a soft sweetness and full body, making this a forgiving, satisfying everyday espresso whether taken as a straight shot or with milk.

Ideal For

• Espresso and milk-based drinks (flat white, latte, cappuccino)
• Everyday drinking — approachable and consistent cup to cup
• Coffee drinkers who enjoy chocolate and nutty flavour profiles
• Those who want a taste of what Notes serves in its own stores
• Environmentally-conscious buyers, thanks to home-compostable packaging

Frequently Asked Questions

Who roasted this coffee?

This coffee was roasted by Notes Coffee Roasters at Unit 2, Blackwall Trading Estate, London. Blackwall Estate is their rotating Seasonal House Espresso, served across their London coffee shops.

Where is this coffee grown?

It's grown at Rio Brilhante, a family-run farm in the Cerrado Mineiro region of Brazil, at an altitude of 1,150 metres.

What varieties are used?

A blend of Paraiso, Arara, and Topazio varieties.

What processing method is used?

Natural process — cherries are dried whole, with the fruit intact around the bean, building extra sweetness and body into the cup.

What brewing methods work best?

This coffee is roasted for espresso and works well as a straight shot or in milk-based drinks. Use a standard espresso ratio of 1:2 (e.g. 18g in, 36g out) over 25–30 seconds as a starting point, and adjust grind and ratio to taste.

What does it taste like?

Hazelnut, milk chocolate, and candied orange peel, with a smooth, sweet, full body — an approachable, everyday espresso.