"Is it Milky Cake Enough?" is a Colombian coffee from the Dutch roastery DAK Coffee Roasters, and its name suggests more than meets the eye. DAK is renowned for its beloved Milky Cake coffee, which is creamy, spicy, and vanilla-forward. This new harvest lot raises the question of whether it comes close enough. The foundation remains the same: cardamom, vanilla cake, and honey, but this time it’s accompanied by a livelier fruitiness and a fresh citrusy hint of orange that was missing from previous batches. The result is a slightly more playful profile, with less spice intensity and a lighter mouthfeel. DAK decided to release the lot and let fans decide whether it counts and whether the coffee is sufficiently Milky Cake. One thing is certain, however: it tastes great.
Behind the coffee is Diego Bermudez from the Cauca region of Colombia, whose farm, Finca El Paraiso, is located at an elevation of 1,730 meters above sea level. Diego is considered one of the pioneers of modern coffee processing, and his experimental approach to fermentation has earned him worldwide recognition. The Milky Cake profile was developed through direct collaboration between DAK and Diego, and is the result of years of joint refinement and mutual trust. Coffee, like other plants, is subject to natural conditions and varies from harvest to harvest. No two seasons are identical, and this is precisely what is reflected in this lot.
The coffee undergoes the advanced controlled fermentation for which Finca El Paraiso is known. The Castillo variety cherries first undergo anaerobic fermentation for 48 hours at 20 °C, then undergo thermal shock—washing with hot water—which locks in the flavor compounds created during fermentation. This is followed by controlled drying for 34 hours at 35 °C and 25% relative humidity until the beans reach optimal moisture content. Every step is precisely monitored, and it is this precision that forms the foundation of the profile that DAK and Diego have built together.