Can We Talk About The Weeknd’s Blue Bottle Latte?
For the first time, you can order the musician’s daily go-to drink – vanilla-infused and Ethiopian cinnamon-topped – from café menus. We gave it a try, and well, it’s absolutely delightful.
Photo courtesy of Blue Bottle Coffee
You’ve probably heard of The Weeknd, though these days he’s going by Abel Tesfaye. Aside from being the most popular musician on the planet, the Canadian-born singer is the child of Ethiopian Amharic immigrants, a part of his identity that Tesfaye is highlighting in an ongoing partnership with craft coffee chain Blue Bottle.
The collaboration, which started in mid-2023, has brought multiple single-origin and blended coffee products to Blue Bottle Coffee customers under the Samra Origins line, named for Tesfaye’s mother Samrawit Hailu.
“Ethiopian culture is an important part of my identity and I’m proud to work alongside the Blue Bottle Coffee team to shine a light on Ethiopian traditions, values, and of course, coffee,” Tesfaye said when the partnership was announced last year. “Samra Origins is a true passion project that I hope will inspire curiosity and encourage support for Ethiopia’s people, while also spreading the warmth and friendship so ingrained in Ethiopian culture.”
This month marks the arrival of Samra Origins’ latest release, the Buna Tetu Blend, but it also marks the first time coffee drinkers can order an actual The Weeknd-inspired drink from Blue Bottle café menus.
First, let’s talk about the coffee. While Tesfaye’s vocal stylings might be described as mellow and smooth, his Buna Tetu Blend coffee goes in a bold direction — specifically, “a bold, chocolatey roast with hints of fruit,” according to Blue Bottle Coffee. The label highlights cocoa, molasses and dried cherry as the blend’s key flavor notes.
Photo courtesy of Blue Bottle Coffee
The name comes from the Buna Tetu coffee ceremony, a tradition Tesfaye’s mother Samra shared with him, which “involves meticulous steps of roasting, grinding, and pouring coffee, each undertaken with utmost care, symbolizing honor and hospitality.”
“The Ethiopian tradition of Buna Tetu is synonymous with home for me and has greatly deepened my appreciation for Ethiopian coffee,” Tesfaye was quoted as saying in the announcement. “The coffee ceremony was a significant piece of our culture my mother would share with our guests, and I remember coming home to the smell of coffee roasting and the chatter of family. Sharing this piece of our culture is very special for my mother and me.”
Tesfaye’s flavorful new latte at Blue Bottle, called the Samra Latte, was “inspired by his daily go-to coffee drink,” and “combines honey, vanilla seed, and a dusting of Ethiopian cinnamon. (When ordered to enjoy in-store, the cinnamon is also stenciled spelling Samra’s name in Amharic.) It features Blue Bottle's Hayes Valley espresso, which has notes of baking chocolate, orange zest and brown sugar.
Blue Bottle Coffee describes the Samra Latte as having “a subtly sweet and aromatic profile that is delicious either hot or iced.” And lest you see buzzwords like vanilla, honey and cinnamon and think this is another over-sugared dessert drink, we tried the drink and found it to be a more grown-up, sophisticated version of those more over-the-top mixed coffee drinks. The cinnamon and vanilla give it a depth of flavor – and delight – without feeling so indulgent you couldn’t sip one on the regular.
The Samra Latte is exclusively available at Blue Bottle cafés for a limited time now through July 8, 2024. Meanwhile, the Buna Tetu Blend is available only at both Blue Bottle cafés and samraorigins.com. The 10-ounce whole bean bags sell for $22, while the instant coffee version is $29 for a 15-serving jar.
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