Never the same, always the same
The coffees composing the illy blend vary subltely from crop to crop, but maintain their distinctive characters
A perfect illy espresso
Environmental conditions and hence the region where the coffee is grown, play a major role in assigning distinctive characteristics to it. Various studies have repeatedly shown that under equal processing, roasting and brewing conditions, the yield in the cup of the same variety of coffee beans varies greatly depending on the climatic conditions of where the beans are grown. Conversely, the flavor and aroma of different varieties grown in the same habitat tend to converge, indeed to a point of being hardly distinguishable.
The beans of each region are rich in nuances with a persistent main theme throughout. For instance, the Ethiopian variety tends to be flowery, the Brazilian decidedly intense. Of course this is a generalization, yet it helps to comprehend how the consistency of the single illy blend is achieved. From year to year, from crop to crop, illy coffee always turns out the same - well balanced, pleasantly fragrant, with a full-bodied, smooth-textured aroma.