"Handcrafted beats mass-produced."
How to Recognize a Truly High-Quality Coffee
BY GIANCARLO MARTELLA
May 14, 2025
In today’s world, enjoying a daily espresso has become routine for many. But one thing is often forgotten: coffee is a natural product – and its quality depends entirely on how it’s made. So how can you tell if a coffee is truly high quality? And what sets it apart from the mass-produced blends found everywhere? If you’ve ever tasted an artisanally roasted espresso, you’ll know the difference is remarkable – in aroma, flavour, and digestibility.
1. The Art of Slow Roasting: Handcrafted vs. Mass Production
One of the most important factors in coffee quality is how it’s roasted. At Caffè Martella, we’ve always followed the traditional method of slow drum roasting in small batches – done by hand, at medium temperatures. In Italy, we call this artigianale.
This method allows us to treat each type of bean individually and bring out its full flavour profile.
In contrast, industrial producers roast huge volumes at extremely high temperatures in just a few minutes – a process known as flash roasting. The result? Beans that are often burnt on the outside and underdeveloped on the inside. This creates a harsh, bitter taste with little depth and almost no lasting finish.
Our slow roasting process takes up to 20 minutes per blend at around 200–220°C. This gentle approach ensures an even roast and breaks down bitter compounds and chlorogenic acids – making the espresso easier to digest and rich in taste.
2. Quality Starts with the Green Bean
Great coffee doesn’t start with roasting – it begins much earlier, with the green coffee bean. While many industrial brands use so-called “spot coffees” – green beans that have been stored in containers for months or even years – we source our beans exclusively and directly from carefully selected origins.
Our focus is on smaller plantations with sustainable farming methods, especially in Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Central Africa, and India. Harvested under strict quality standards, our beans are sorted and shipped directly – fresh and traceable, with no long-term storage. Only fresh, premium beans can create the depth and complexity that a true espresso needs.
