It all began with an Ex DJ and Coffee professional who bonded over their love for music and this magical caffeinated beverage. It became apparent that the third love the two shared was equipment and that was how Machina coffee as a brand started.

As the business meandered through its identity there was always a goal in sight - roasting premium speciality coffee in Edinburgh.

This was the direction in which they intended to lead Machina and did so with hard work and resisting the need to invite investors who may have changed the brand’s course.

Steve and Michael were inspired by cafe’s they visited while travelling such as Intelligentsia in LA, Gimme Coffee in Brooklyn, Customs in Wellington and Bear Pond in Shimokitazawa.

These were places that not only were pioneering coffee roasting but also the service that came with it and the pair knew that this was the blueprint of success.

Machina source the highest quality of coffee from origins that are in season when the crops are at their peak in terms of quality.

They have a great approach to sourcing which is trying to break away from the conventional wisdom about origin and taste. They look to dig a little deeper into the origins that they source from and uncover farms and producers that may not have been heard of and hold the prestige of the farm next door. This is something that sets Machina apart from roaster next door - showcasing certain unique coffees that you may not see elsewhere.

The Miravalle from Machina Coffee originates from the south of the Huila Region of Colombia. Locally referred to as Nudo de Almaguer which is the group of mountains within the south-central Colombian Andes. 

The farm is one of six small farms run by the same group of small producers.

The geography of this area is diverse, mountains trap weather conditions and create numerous microclimates, which when coupled with nitrogen-rich volcanic fertile soils can produce some of the most unique speciality coffee. 

The farms in this region of Colombia are no stranger to speciality coffee and have extensive knowledge around the production and processes of high-quality coffee. 

Huila region produces the most coffee in Colombia, weighing in at just under 20% of the countries coffee. 

Like many of the best Colombian coffee farms, climate change is playing a huge role in shaping the coffee growing landscape. Many regions with lower altitudes and therefore higher temperatures have seen an increase in coffee berry borer (an insect that infects the coffee plant). This has seen many coffee farms spring up in the higher altitudes of Huila to escape the infestation.

Schemes are in place in Huila to improve the sustainability of water and biodiversity which will protect the land and its farmers.

The Miravalle coffee was one that I was particularly excited to try. Colombian coffee always goes down well but I’m always excited to see a different processing method. 

Sundried parabolic is basically dried in a large greenhouse structure, it takes 14-18 days to dry and can produce some interesting profiles.

The roast is medium-light and a roast profile that I would normally associate with a juicy washed East African coffee. The fragrance, however, suggests otherwise. 

The first notes that you can smell are certainly sweet and almost sugary sweet, like apple pie. 

First sips of the coffee are loaded with a bunch of different flavours. First of all, treacle is certainly there, even before you taste it. It reminded me for a moment of rooibos tea as the coffee works through your palate, it then finishes on a juicy aftertaste. 

The coffee has a fairly light and delicate mouthfeel that you wouldn’t normally associate with treacle. The sweet tones of the fragrance return when the coffee cools and notes of poached pear breakthrough.

A coffee that was roasted for filter but actually works in all methods - an all-rounder with a couple of unique characteristics backed by a well-balanced body.