First established in December 2014, the idea of 'The Nutcracker' was designed and conceptualised for Dutch Colony to have her first festive blend. We were unsure as to what will make the blend but speaking to the roasting team of the business, we had a head start. It should carry the flavours of the season and with that we start working and ever since then, have never looked back!

Quoting Veronica Phua, a level 10 Burppler who wrote in the internet in 2014, "A festive blend that features notes of sweet peppercorn, raisins, figs, walnut and baker's chocolate. This resulted in an intense, complex tasting cappuccino that sat well with me." Upon its inaugural launch, we saw how it was well received, how quickly it moved out of the shelves and it was in so much demand that we remembered extending its availability well into the month of January 2015. Ever since that, The Nutcracker have been made available every month of December.

Today, we have the 7th edition of this delicious festive blend and along with it, specially curated single origins that made up the 'Winter Edition' coffees, originally introduced in year 2014 as the 'Flavors of Xmas'.

Let us take a closer look at all these delicious coffees:

Nutcracker version 007 promises to live up to the expectations of its predecessors.

By taking inspiration from the traditional flavours of festive season, this year’s blend combines three great microlot coffees, a Latin American-based blend, with an African twist. Together reminding one of flavours of everything festive with sprinkles of chocolate-berries and toffenut in milk, and sweet citrus fruits, grapes and juicy red plums in black.

Sourcing for great single origins this year prove to be challenging with the pandemic lurking around. The impact was felt globally within the coffee supply chain, from disruption of labour - which affected how coffee cherries are picked and processed, to the slowing down of inland cargo pick-up and sea freight schedule delays. With the planning of the festive coffees starting as early as June this year, our roasting team have to create a few variation, formulation and permutation of a selected few coffees in order to have a guaranteed finish product, in case some of the coffees failing to reach in time. Originally there were 2 coffees that were part of the plans and a delay in shipping meant we had to go with our Plan B & C, equally good nonetheless.

Sincerely from our heart to your palate, we hope version 007 of this delicious festive blend will pull the strings of your hearts.

No Nutcracker is ever complete without the companion of our Winter Edition coffees and like the years before, we never pull the brakes to great tasting single origins in December.This December, we source for the first time, coffees from farms very new to us.

The El Nazareth from El Salvador so delicious both as an espresso based and filter that we tweaked the roasting profile to serve the dual brewing purpose. So you can buy a bag home and run it both as an espresso/flat white or brew them up in your favourite brewing methods.

Finca Zacatin from Colombia offers two very premium varietal in the SL28 and Gesha. Located in the mountainous terrain and temperate climates of southwest Antioquia, Finca Zacatin has the perfect climate for producing excellent quality coffee.

Initially started as a small side project, Eduardo, who is the 3rd generation of the Fernandez family who owns the farm, acquired a selection of unusual beans from around the globe, hoping to produce and sample their special nature. Today, Eduardo’s small side project has flourished into a large scale operation, producing fields of Gesha, Pink Bourbon, SL 28 and Tabi varieties.

Both the Nutcracker and the El Salvador Finca El Nazareth will be available in all our retail shops' main & 2nd coffee grinder from the 1st of December onwards, being served as your espresso-based choice of beverages. Both coffees will also be made available in 300gm and 250gm retail bags respectively, online and store-wide for all the home barista to take home or as a gift exchange with your coffee enthusiast buddies.

Not to be missed too, and in a very limited quantities, will be SL28 and Gesha varietals from Finca Zacatin. Both are coming in collectible 150gm cans with designer labels inspired and created by our own multi-talented Business Development Manager, Zuhaimi. Great as a gift or a treat for yourself!

It has been a challenging year indeed, but we all have been good this 2020! From all of us at Dutch Colony Coffee Co., we wish you a great holiday, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Be jolly and be safe!