Deer Hill is a blend from the British roastery Dark Woods Coffee, created in response to repeated requests from customers for a traditional Italian-style coffee. For a long time, Dark Woods resisted these requests because this style tends to be unpleasantly bitter due to over-roasting and the use of cheap Robusta beans. Eventually, however, they decided to show what such a coffee could look like in their interpretation, and the result is a smooth, full-bodied espresso with notes of milk chocolate and hazelnuts—one that might just change a few opinions about the Italian style. Although the blend was designed primarily for espresso, its richness and body can also be beautifully brought out in a drip brew.
This blend is built on the principle that each of its components plays a specific role in the cup. The foundation consists of sweet and balanced specialty Arabicas: specifically, Colombian El Ata from the Tolima region, Brazilian Passeio from the Sul de Minas microregion, and Indian Kalladavarapura from the state of Karnataka. To these are added high-quality Robusta beans from the award-winning Harley Estate, also located in Karnataka, which lend the blend the body and creamy texture expected of an Italian-style espresso. It is precisely this ratio that sets Deer Hill apart from traditional Italian blends, where Robusta typically serves more as a cheap filler than as a full-fledged component of the flavor profile.
Both Colombian and Indian coffees are most commonly processed using the washed method, in which the cherries are pulped, the beans are briefly fermented in water, and then thoroughly washed to remove any remaining pulp. The result is a clean profile without unnecessary harshness, which is particularly noticeable with Robusta. In Brazil, on the other hand, the most widespread method is the so-called “pulped natural” process, in which the cherries are hulled, but the sweet pulp remains on the bean throughout the drying process, giving the coffee a chocolatey sweetness and full body.