Finding the cream of the crop to pair up with coffee

A Scottish dairy is on a mission to help coffee-lovers get a latte more from their pour.

This week is UK Coffee Week (16–22 April), and Graham’s the Family Dairy- the UK’s first and only Milk Sommelier paired up with top coffee roaster Dear Green – are looking to match their award-winning milk with coffee from various countries around the world.

Last year, Graham’s Milk Sommelier Doug Wood, turned his expert nose to everyone’s favourite House White to identify the notes and flavours present in some of Graham’s creamiest milks, from white chocolate and vanilla to almond and grassy tones.

Like coffee, milk has its own distinct flavour wheel. The flavours of a brewed espresso can be elevated through frothed milk, highlighting the tasting notes of the coffee’s origin and taking your flat white to another level.

Accompanied by champion barista Danny Ormonde, the two have bean busy sniffing and slurping their way through Dear Green’s coffees and have carefully chosen milks from the Graham’s range to complement their flavour profiles and maximise those macchiatos.

Doug and Danny’s tasting notes and coffee pairings:

Graham’s the Family Dairy’s Milk Sommelier Doug Wood and Dear Green’s champion barista Danny Ormonde have paired milk and coffee origins based on their individual tasting notes

· Brazilian coffee has a full, rich berry sweetness and praline nuttiness which pairs perfectly with the ‘balanced and fresh’ organic semi-skimmed milk, which is a full palate with a fragrant offering of buttermilk, vanilla and a touch of almond.

· Guatemalan coffee has excellent cup characteristics with notes of cashew, lime and cacao nibs which has a comparable profile to semi-skimmed milk – a lighter milk that’s full flavoured with grassy notes and a hint of sweetness.

· Colombian coffee beans offer a juicy mouth-watering flavour offering up notes of tropical fruits which pairs well with gold top and its fruity undertones and great clarity of flavour.

· Rwandan coffee offers notes of honey, nectarine and chocolate which is elevated through ‘rich and sweet’ organic semi-skimmed milk with cream on top, which is oaty with a touch of almond.

· Kenyan speciality coffee is juicy and complex with flavours of blackberry, honey and citrus blend which is amplified by the bready notes and textured depths of vanilla and toasted nuts of gold smooth.

· Ethiopian coffee beans are naturally processed with a slight spritz in texture, releasing nutty flavours with a hint of complex fruit. Perfectly paired with organic whole milk with cream on top, which is smooth and creamy with notes of white chocolate, panna cotta and a hint of grass towards the end.

Brazilian coffee with Graham’s Organic Semi Skimmed milk

Carol Graham, marketing director at Graham’s said: ‘After discovering the hidden depths of flavour and texture in our milk range, it made sense to partner up with a coffee roaster like Dear Green to see how else the flavours in milk can elevate our daily lives.

‘Dad had great day learning his Jersey gold top was the baristas milk of choice for latte art, and as a coffee fan myself, I’ve loved tasting the delicious pairings chosen by Doug and Danny. I would love to hear from people who try our pairings too.’

Doug Wood, Graham’s Milk Sommelier added: ‘Becoming the UK’s first Milk Sommelier has been a whirlwind and working with such a talented barista as Danny has been a great experience. As someone who’s beliefs are rooted in quality and provenance, I am always excited to find like-minded partners who share our passion for discovering new flavours.

‘Together, we’ve worked our way through numerous coffee origins, and look forward to hearing from Scotland’s coffee drinkers to see if they enjoy and agree with our pairings.’

Danny Ormonde, Dear Green’s champion barista concluded: ‘As a barista, milk plays an incredibly important role in serving up the perfect cup for our customers.

‘I always knew fat content played a part in balancing out flavour and acidity in coffee but working with the Milk Sommelier has opened my eyes to complementary tasting notes in milk. We’ve had a great time learning from each other and look forward to collaborating more in the future.’