Now, folks living in Europe are more familiar with The Barn, after all they were awarded best specialty coffee roaster in 2019. And I have to agree, I didn’t understand at first since I’m more inclined towards local roasters.

But, ever since I have been going to Froth and Pour, which is a small cafe based in Mirdif, I have started to enjoy coffee from The Barn even more. I look forward to their new shipment, because it was a chance to try their new coffee. I have Allane to thank for this.

That was until they stopped stocking the coffee I really enjoyed and then The Barn opened their doors in Dubai. Their debut was a hit, you should definitely read about my experiences in this blog post.

I can understand if If that’s too much reading for you, I tend to write a lot sometimes. Long story short, Ralf brewed us the Alchemy on the V60. This post is about two masterpieces, the Yemen Alchemy and the Geisha Napoleon.

What’s better than ordering one masterpiece? Order them both side by side. I love doing this to compare the differences in origin, terroir, processing, aromas and lastly the notes.

I’d like to reiterate that the Yemen Alchemy, like the last time, is still my favorite Yemeni to date. I am a fan of naturals, the complex and wild notes always catch me off guard. This triple fermented coffee, is an offering by Qima Coffee, unlike any I have had out of this origin.

Imagine Mango, and then some dried mango, two depths that start off as primary. The rest come to you as the drink cools down, red and yellow fruits, spices, all mixed in an exotic concoction. The notes are on the heavier side in comparison to the Geisha.

The Napoleon Geisha was recommended on portafilter as an espresso, but I insisted on a pour over because I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. Coming to the Geisha, I’m no stranger to this producer - Cafe Granja La Esperanza.

I’ve had a taste of the Mandela XO on a piccolo a few months ago, prepared by two UAE champions at Gold Box Coffee Roasters. The Napoleon Geisha is yet another fantastic offering coming straight from the Cerro Azul farm.

The processing is anaerobic, extended for days giving the varietal an intense and wild experience on the taste buds, a lot livelier when you compare to the Alchemy.

The fermented winey notes are more noticeable, so are the ripe plums. The sweetness of the grapes starts to take over the tanginess of the pineapples as the drink cools down.

Writing about my experiences is easy, but this is what you can do to enhance yours. A three step process to have a fantastic coffee experience.

1. Head to The Barn in Dubai. Location here.

2. Order the Masterpiece: Yemen Alchemy or/and Geisha Napoleon.

3. As you sip the coffee, read this post by portafilter to know more about the origin, terroir, processing and Andy’s experience.

4. Bonus step: Call a friend to enjoy the coffee with. I have Abdullah to thank for this.

These coffees are limited and tend to run out fast, so do me a favor, head there now and enjoy. Come back to this post and leave a comment about your experience.