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BLENDING

Aromas defined by origins: the Blend.

The art of blending consists of skilfully combining various coffees to achieve perfect harmony between the aromatic notes, making up for any subtle differences caused by the coffee plant’s sensitivity to climate and seasons. The aim is to ensure an improved taste and wider aromatic spectrum than the individual ingredients, every time. A blend is defined as single-origin when it is produced using only coffee beans from one specific region, potentially including different varieties of coffee; or as single-variety when it is produced from just one specific type of coffee, belonging to the same species.

The illy secret recipe

To create the unique illy blend, the green coffee is always blended before roasting. Blending is one of the most delicate stages of the entire production process: it consists of combining 9 Arabica coffees based on their respective tastes, aromas and body. For us, it is paramount that the final balance of our blend is the same every time. For this reason, the quantities of the different Arabica coffees present in the illy blend undergo constant recalibration.

Combination of the
9 finest qualities of Arabica

Personal blender

We’ve dreamed up an innovative concept dedicated to a group of Michelin-starred chefs partnered with illy, allowing them to create a personalised blend and experiment with new combinations to pair with their creations. Through a dedicated app, the personal blender alters the basic recipe using the 9 coffee origins present in the illy blend to achieve different results in terms of taste intensity and aromatic notes.

DESIRABLE AROMATIC PROPERTIES

CARAMEL

The caramel aroma evokes the scent produced by caramelised sugar beforeit reaches the point where it is burnt.

CHOCOLATE

The classic aroma of cocoa, often accompanied by the scent of vanilla.

FLORAL

This aroma is reminiscent of the delicate fragrance of various types of flowers (e.g. jasmine).

FRUITY

A fruity aroma recreates the sweet notes of ripe fruit.

WALNUT

This aroma recalls that of fresh walnuts.

TOASTED BREAD

This is an intricate sensation that arises from the molecules formed during the roasting process.

SPICY

Typically refers to spices with a sweet scent, such as cloves and cinnamon.

CEREALS

This description includes the aroma characteristics of grain and toasted malt.

TOBACCO

This aroma recalls the scent and taste of tobacco.

Tasting

For us, quality and creativity come first. For this reason, the illy blend has been continuously perfected by a panel of coffee tasters for almost 90 years. Tasting an illy coffee is a complex operation that involves all the senses.