Picking the right beans
挑選心水咖啡豆
The Coffee Academics為不同口味的咖啡愛好者提供多種配方，Jack推薦水洗埃塞俄比亞圓豆給喜愛花茶風味的知音，而經厭氧發酵的雲南咖啡豆帶有水果糖氣息，是另一理想選擇。至於喜愛威士忌和拖肥風味的人士，不妨一嚐木桶發酵的洪都拉斯咖啡豆。
除了合作供應機上咖啡，品牌更為國泰獨家推出取材自香港風情的Journey混調咖啡豆，可在國泰品味網店選購。配方糅合拉丁美洲、印尼及埃塞俄比亞三地出產的咖啡豆，蘊含雲呢拿、香茶及糖果或核果的香氣。負責團隊對於打造這款咖啡豆考慮十分周全，按Jack所言：「Journey咖啡豆旨在反映香港的多元文化傳統，為此我們更將陳年普洱的泥土氣息摻合其中，令層次更豐富。」
配方中的橡木風味特別呼應香港與海洋的淵源，Jack接著透露另一重驚喜並補充道：「源自香港市花洋紫荊的淡淡花香，以優雅餘韻為這品鑑旅程作結。」
The Coffee Academics offers a varied selection of flavours for different palates. Lam recommends washed Ethiopian peaberry for those who enjoy floral tea-like flavours, or anaerobically fermented Yunnan beans for their fruit candy profile. Those who enjoy notes of whisky and toffee might want to try barrel-fermented Honduras beans.
Beyond our special inflight coffee collaboration, the brand has also released a custom blend, Journey, exclusively for Cathay and inspired by Hong Kong which can be purchased through our Cathay Shop. It features beans from three origins in Latin America, Indonesia and Ethiopia, which respectively impart vanilla, tea and candy or stone fruit aromas. They’ve also thought of everything, with Lam saying, “To reflect Hong Kong’s multicultural heritage, we layered in the earthy complexity of aged Pu-erh tea.”
The blend’s oak notes are a nod to Hong Kong’s maritime roots and there’s yet another welcome surprise. “The delicate floral aroma of Bauhinia, Hong Kong’s iconic flower, rounds out the profile with a subtle grace,” Lam adds.