The coffee I kept reaching for: Press Blend
Bright enough to stay interesting, sweet enough to feel comforting and properly convincing both black and with milk.
- Roaster
- Press Coffee · Herne Hill
- Origins
- Colombia · Brazil
- Editor score
- 9/10
Good before the first grind.
I knew this bag was going to suit me as soon as I opened it. The aroma arrived immediately: sweet, warm and a little nutty, with a clean citrus note underneath rather than shouting over everything else. That first impression carried through the whole week.
In the cup, the Colombian side gives the coffee its lively opening. I found it closer to clementine than sharp lemon—bright, juicy and fresh, but never sour. Then the Brazilian half fills out the middle with salted-caramel sweetness, hazelnut and a rounder body. That balance is what kept me coming back. Nothing thin, nothing muddy and no single note trying too hard.
Press describes the blend as washed Colombian coffee paired with a natural Brazilian component. Those processing choices make sense in the cup: the Colombian coffee keeps the finish clean and zesty, while the Brazilian coffee supplies the softer body and sweeter base.
Crema, sweetness and a clean finish.
The crema was one of the first things I noticed: thick, even and golden. It was neither the pale foam that vanishes almost immediately nor a dark, bitter lid sitting on top of the shot. It held its colour and carried the caramel-and-hazelnut aroma before the first sip.
As the coffee cooled, the citrus softened and the sweeter notes became deeper. More importantly, the finish stayed clean instead of becoming dry or harsh. I drank it both black and with milk. Black, you get the shape of the coffee—the fruit, the body and the crema. In a flat white, it becomes exactly the sort of morning drink I enjoy: rounded and comforting, but still unmistakably coffee.
This is not a bag trying to be the loudest thing on the shelf. It is balanced, aromatic and consistently drinkable. Make it, sit down, and the morning already feels slightly better. That is why this particular bag earns 9/10.
A London roastery with a practical subscription.
Press began as a café business on Fleet Street in 2010 and opened its own Herne Hill roastery in 2019. The company says it moved away from running the cafés in 2025 to concentrate on roasting, supplying wholesale customers and serving home drinkers. Today the team roasts to order from its South London base.
The subscription is a sensible extension of the blend rather than an afterthought. When checked on 29 September, the range covered Press Blend, single-origin espresso, filter coffee and decaf, with 14-, 30- or 60-day delivery frequencies. Press says subscribers can pause, cancel, change the interval or choose a different coffee through the member area. Press Blend started at £11 for 250g when checked; always confirm the current bag size, price and delivery total before ordering.
If the rest of the range is in the same place as this bag, I can see why people put it on repeat. I am certainly tempted.
Press Coffee Roasters
Roasted to order in Herne Hill, South London. The links below go directly to Press and are not affiliate links.
Press Blend questions, answered.
What is Press Coffee’s Press Blend?+
Press Blend is the roaster’s flagship espresso, combining a washed Colombian coffee with a natural-process Brazilian coffee. Press lists clementine, salted caramel and hazelnut as the current tasting notes.
Is Press Blend good with milk?+
It performed especially well in a flat white during this home trial. The caramel and hazelnut notes became rounder while the coffee still remained clearly present rather than disappearing into the milk.
Does Press Coffee offer a subscription?+
Yes. When checked on 29 September 2026, Press offered several coffees and gift subscriptions with delivery frequencies of 14, 30 or 60 days. Its FAQ says subscribers can pause, cancel or change the coffee through the member area.
Has Home Coffee Index actually tried this coffee?+
Yes. Ben Murrell brewed this bag at home through the week beginning 28 September 2026, drank it black and with milk, took the photographs on this page and gave this particular bag 9/10.
How this feature was made: Ben brewed this bag at home through the week beginning 28 September 2026, drank it black and with milk, and took all four photographs shown here. The 9/10 score is his verdict on this particular bag, not a blind panel or laboratory result. Roaster history, blend details, prices and subscription options were checked against Press Coffee’s own site on 29 September. The links to Press are direct and untracked.