Tesco *finest is marketed as their premium range, and includes a number of products including biscuits, sandwichs and meats among others. In this review I will be focusing on the ground coffees included in the range, and more specifically Tesco *Finest Columbian Supremo.

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Pre-amble
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As a child one of the family treats was to go into a speciality coffee shop after we had finished shopping in the town. This shop sold a variety of expensive and unusual coffees and we tried a new one each time. I guess this is where my love of “real” coffee came from, and I find instant coffee a poor alternative.

Now my favourite coffee is Jamaican Blue Mountain, however at the £15 for a 250g packet, I don't think I'm going to be using that as my regular drink. However, while I was in Tescos the other day I noticed they had a BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free) on their range of premium ground coffees.

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The Range
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There are five different blends in this range all made from 100% Arabica beans that are sourced from mountain plantations and hand picked and graded to ensure excellent quality (or so the side of the packaging tells me).

The five blends in order of strength are :

Kenya AA – Mild/medium
Mocha Sidamo – mild/medium
Colombian Supremo – medium
Costa Rica Tarrazu – Medium
Java Sumatra – Strong

As I was only trying this for the first time I picked a medium blend and went for the very impressively named Colombian Supremo.

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The Packaging
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The coffee come in a silver foil pouch that definitely stood out from the rest of the coffees on display. Each of the range also features a different picture, the one on this pack looks like a statue off Easter Island?? in brown. It is loosely packed, so not like some of the solid blocks you can buy. The package contains all the information you could wish to know about the coffee, even a map showing the area the beans were grown, as well as directions for use and storage. It even has a handy sticky tab so that you can re-seal the packet after use.

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The Smell
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There's nothing like the smell of freshly roast coffee, but this comes close. On opening the packet waves of lovely rich coffee aroma hit my nose. There was perhaps a slight acidic undertone, but this is what I expect in ground coffee, and it was only an undertone unlike some other cheap brands which are far more bitter and acidic.

Now all this writing about and smelling the coffee has made me want some right now, so you can share the experience with me.


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Making the Coffee
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The packaging tells me that this coffee is suitable for all types of coffee maker and that the recommended amount to use is one rounded dessert spoon for each cup of coffee.

However, I'm using an eight cup cafetiere, and I actually find that four desert spoons gives me perfect strength.

So I've put my coffee in the cafetiere and added hot water (never add boiling water to coffee, you'll ruin it) and now the smell of coffee is drifting nicely round the kitchen making my mouth water.

Four minutes later and I've poured my coffee into a mug and added my milk and sugar. I have a sweet tooth and so add sugar to all my hot beverages, and unfortunately I don't have any cream so I can't make myself a floater (which is the best way to drink coffee).

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The Taste
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The coffee has a lovely rich flavour, with just the right amount of bitterness. So I'm not scrunching my face up like I was sucking a lemon, but can still feel it on the roof of my mouth. It certainly makes me want to take another mouthful and another.

I'm not one of these people that has to have coffee in the morning to wake up, but this is quite stimulating, and very yummy.

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The company
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This is Tesco's premium brand otherwise known as *finest, as with their other products they offer a refund or replace guarantee if you are not completely satisfied, but I can't actually see you needing to do this.

Customer Service freephone : 0800 505555

Website : www.tesco.co.uk

Physical address:

Tesco Stores Ltd
Cheshunt
EN8 GSL
UK

Tesco Ireland Ltd
Gresham House
Marine Road
Dun Laoghaire
Co. Dublin

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Further Info
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Price : £2.79 for 227g

This coffee is roasted and packed in Ireland for Tesco.

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Final Words
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This is an extremely impressive coffee for the price, easily rivalling the more expensive brands, and definitely winning hands down when compared with the cheaper brands. In fact I liked it so much I went back to Tescos and bought the others in the range to try.

If like me you love your coffee, but refuse to pay over the odds then give this a try, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.