In recent years, Singaporean coffee drinkers have shifted their focus from simply seeking a quick caffeine fix to prioritising the quality of beans, the craftsmanship of baristas and the overall sensorial experience of drinking coffee. 

Luckin Black Cup Single Origin Espresso (SOE) series is designed to meet the growing demand for premium coffee by sourcing rare and exceptional beans from renowned coffee-producing regions worldwide.

The art of crafting an exceptional brew

Last month, Luckin Coffee hosted an exclusive workshop featuring Mr Boram Um, the 2023 World Barista Championship (WBC) Champion, and Luckin's newest Chief Coffee Master. Mr Um, hailing from a family of coffee plantation owners in Brazil, made history as the first World Barista Champion from Brazil.

Drawing upon his experience as a coffee grower and professional barista, Mr Um guided attendees through the company's meticulous Global Bean Hunting Initiative. 

This initiative sees Luckin Coffee's WBC champions spearhead a bean hunting team, travelling the world to source for premium coffee beans. They engage in every step of cultivation, harvesting, processing and quality assurance. So far, the team has explored Ethiopia, Panama, Indonesia and Yunnan, China, with plans to venture into more core-producing regions.

During the workshop, Mr Um highlighted Luckin's SOE series, which features rare and exceptional beans like the fruity and floral Gesha, the complex Hambella, and the rich, velvety Sumatra Gayo. 

He explained how factors like soil composition, climate condition and altitude shape the unique flavour profiles of these specialty coffee beans. He also demonstrated how Luckin Coffee’s baristas craft each SOE to showcase the beans’ inherent qualities. 

Elevating your coffee-drinking experience

Across the SOE series, Luckin Coffee leverages the expertise of its WBC champion team to carefully select, process and craft each single origin espresso bean, to ensure that every cup showcases the distinct flavour characteristics imparted by the beans' terroir and origin. 

Luckin Coffee’s SOE series features some of the world's very rare and exceptional beans, each with its own unique flavour profile and story.

• Gesha

Flavour profile: Floral notes with dried apricot flavour
Origin: Bench Maji, Ethiopia
Why it's special: Known as “Legend of Legends”, Gesha is synonymous with excellence. This highly sought-after variety is renowned for its strong floral aroma and rich berry flavour, thanks to the ideal growing conditions at its source. The high elevation, fertile soil, and specific microclimate contribute to the beans' quality and distinctive taste.

• Hambella

Flavour profile: Fig notes with sweet plum flavour
Origin: Hambella district, Guji zone, Ethiopia
Why it’s special: The Hambella SOE boasts a complex flavour profile due to the specific climate conditions that the beans are exposed to. Grown at high altitudes in the Guji zone, these beans benefit from cool temperatures, ample rainfall and rich volcanic soil. In 2022, Luckin won the Gold Medal at the prestigious IIAC International Coffee Tasting Competition with these exceptional coffee beans.

• Sumatra Gayo

Flavour profile: Cedar notes with sweet cherry flavour
Origin: Sumatra Aceh Gayo, Indonesia
Why it’s special: The Sumatra Gayo SOE produces a brew with a rich, velvety texture and a refreshing, herbal fragrance. Its distinctive flavour is attributed to the area's fertile volcanic soil, warm, humid climate and the unique wet hulling technique used in processing. This traditional method, known as giling basah, involves removing the coffee cherry's outer skin before drying, resulting in a more full-bodied and less acidic coffee.

Luckin Coffee's dedication to sourcing and crafting premium coffee beans has earned them global recognition and numerous accolades. The company has won the Gold Medal in the IIAC International Coffee Tasting competition for five consecutive years, showcasing its consistency in delivering top-quality coffee. 

Additionally, their Yirgacheffe SOE has been awarded the IIAC Platinum Medal twice, further solidifying Luckin's position in the specialty coffee industry.