Espresso Machine & Grinder Cleaning Guide: Better Flavor and Longer Lifespan: DRAFT

When I wrote this piece last year, we had just begun the process of adding several new coffee blends to our then modest selection of Whole Latte Love coffees. As Q1 of 2026 comes to a close, I’m happy to announce the arrival of our first ever collaboration coffee we produced with our friends at Maromas Premium Coffees. If you’re new to Whole Latte Love coffees, this is the place to start. In this article I’ll be talking about the nine coffees that we’re currently carrying as well as the history of Whole Latte Love coffee and a look back at the old blends and even their original artwork!

The Modern Assortment

Compared to our original six coffees which were all blended, our modern coffees are a mix of both blends and single-origins. Eight of the coffees are available in 1lb/16oz bags, with Crema Wave also available in 12oz and 28oz bags. Our ninth coffee, which is a collaboration with Maromas, is available in the classic 2.2 lb or kilo bag format. Our blends tend to be a bit more forgiving when dialing in, while the single-origins offer a bit more nuance.

Currently, eight of the nine coffees are locally roasted in small batches while Maromas roasts our ninth coffee for us in Italy. Regardless of origin, all of our coffees are composed of 100% specialty beans, including the Robusta used by Maromas.

Blends

Our current lineup of blends have been formulated to appeal to a wide range of coffee drinkers. Starting with Crema Wave, we sought to satisfy espresso drinkers old and new while Beaned Up and Buzzopolis offer up two different approaches to coffee, one comfortable and familiar and the other more expressive while equally delicious. The final piece of the puzzle, Crema Wave Decaf, is a decaf blend that emulates the popular honey and almond flavors of Crema Wave.

Crema Wave

When we first conceived of Crema Wave we had a clear idea of what we wanted to do. As tastes and preferences had changed over the years we were aiming to create a new flagship blend that would satisfy both longtime customers as well the modern palate. Crema Wave reimagines the Italian blends that were incredibly popular when Whole Latte Love first started, with crowd pleasing honey sweetness and nutty almond notes. The exciting thing about Crema Wave is that as a blend, while we try to keep the components and profile as consistent as possible, we’ve also been working on refining our sourcing and roasting to deliver an even better product, so whether you’ve tried Crema Wave in the past or not, it’s definitely worth a try, first or otherwise.

Crema Wave Decaf

When it came time for us to create our decaf blend, there was a lot to consider. Decaf coffees can be tricky to get right. Starting with the decaffeination process, we opted for Swiss Water Process beans instead of alternative solvent based decaf methods. Our aim was to achieve the same honey and almond flavor as Crema Wave, while acknowledging the inherent differences that come with decaf. Crema Wave Decaf is ultimately a bit lighter and sweeter than its caffeinated counterpart, partially because it lacks the bitterness inherent to caffeine.

Beaned Up

Beaned Up is a refinement of a dark roast coffee called “Beamed Up” that we introduced briefly after Crema Wave. The darker roast was less friendly to super-automatic machines due to the surface oil content. On top of that, it takes a very dense coffee to stand up to such a dark roast without completely disintegrating. Reborn as “Beaned Up” the new blend has the same marshmallow and graham cracker notes as the original with a hint of red berry acidity. The blend is a heavy mix of honey and natural process coffees so it’s rich without being dark, all while building on the alien abduction theme but injecting a bit more coffee fun at the same time.

Buzzopolis

When it came time to bring back Buzzopolis we were presented with an interesting opportunity. Crema Wave has become the spiritual successor to the original Buzzopolis but the name and its legacy were too good not to be brought back. We decided to lean in a much more modern direction with the new Buzzopolis bursting with creamy vanilla and bright citrus notes. Compared to the original Buzzopolis, the new blend is also more well rounded and suitable for both regular filter preparation and espresso. Either way, it’s delicious with milk.

Single Origins

Single origin coffees are exactly what their name suggests, a singular expression of a coffee from a particular region of the world. After releasing our blends we wanted to expand our offerings to include hand-selected coffees from some of the world's most recognizable growing regions. If you're like me, there's a good chance your first exposure to specialty coffee was through an Ethiopian natural processed coffee. These coffees are suitable for all brew methods and have discernable flavor notes, making them perfect for experimentation.

Colombia Tolima

Our Colombia Tolima is probably the most challenging of our single origins. Crisp, bright and clean, as espresso it's a bit like taking a bite of fresh citrus or a Granny Smith apple. When prepared with a filter method, sweeter notes of caramel and toasted almond round out the initial juiciness with a smoother, sweeter finish. Featuring all washed coffees, in cup the Tolima offers a good deal of clarity when brewed properly, allowing you to discern its various notes.

Ethiopia Limmu

As I mentioned above, an Ethiopia natural was the first specialty coffee I ever had. I was in the kitchen at the office and Todd asked "hey, do you want a blueberry latte?" I wasn't sure what to expect but I said sure and he made me one. I was shocked by how apparent the sweet fruity flavors presented in the cup and my perspective on coffee was broadened significantly. Our Ethiopia Limmu seeks to capture that experience, composed of several natural/dry process heirloom varietals from the region. In the cup those same blueberry notes blend with creamy vanilla and a floral finish. The natural process imparts inherent sweetness and body, making this a coffee that you can savor as it cools.

Guatemala Huehuetenango

Of our three single origin coffees, the Guatemala Huehuetenango is perhaps the most conventional in terms of flavor profile. Notes of dark chocolate and cinnamon, graham cracker and lemon zest make this incredibly drinkable as filter coffee but it can be used for espresso as well. Composed of all washed coffees the Huehuetenango has a nice medium body for easy drinking. If you're interested in trying a single origin coffee but aren't looking to step too far outside your comfort zone, this is the one I'd suggest.

Hidden Malabar

Hidden Malabar is another coffee that pays homage to our original offerings as a spiritual successor to Malabar Gold®. Hidden Malabar is "Monsoon Process" coffee, meaning that the unroasted green beans are exposed to moist monsoon winds for 12-16 weeks. This helps to lower acidity and we then roast to bring out the coffee's natural caramel sweetness. Creamy and malty, this coffee is excellent both as straight espresso or when pulled for use in milk drinks.

The History of Whole Latte Love Coffee

When I first started in 2010 we had a fairly robust assortment of our own branded Whole Latte Love coffees that had been around for quite a while and they were mainstays in the catalog for several years after. Originally these coffees were roasted for us under a private label with heavy emphasis on quality bean sourcing (using highly rated coffees that were Fair Trade and USDA certified organic), education (sourcing, caffeine content, flavors and pairings), and freshness (roasting in smaller batches).

If you haven’t been around Whole Latte Love as long as I have, you’d be forgiven for not knowing that any of these coffees even existed so read on if you want to fill in the blanks.

Collaboration Coffees

Our collaboration coffees are new for 2026, with the first entry being a coffee produced for us by our friends at Maromas Premium Coffees. Our goal is to offer something unique but familiar at the same time, blending our vision of coffee with the unique perspectives and methods of our longtime partners. We currently have one collaboration coffee on offer which is our Italian Stallion blend, with more on the way later this year.

Italian Stallion

The first coffee we produced with Maromas is Italian Stallion, an intense espresso blend and the first Whole Latte Love coffee to use Robusta coffee. Combining 70% Ethiopia Sidamo and 30% India Kaapi Robusta beans, Italian Stallion delivers a decidedly European profile with heavy body. This blend cuts through milk drinks and delivers a bit more caffeine thanks to the Kaapi Robusta.

The Original Blends

Our original blends featured a variety of roast profiles, intended brew methods and caffeine content. Two of them, Buzzopolis and Monaco were espresso focused while the Ethereal blend was best enjoyed as drip coffee. It's also noteworthy that we offered not one but two decaf options, Reflection and Unconditional for espresso and filter drinkers alike. Later on we finished off our original lineup with the Malabar Gold® espresso blend.

Buzzopolis

Buzzopolis was our flagship espresso blend. It was dark and full bodied, smoky and spicy with notes of berry and plum. The artwork feels almost a little Art Deco and the bag is certainly iconic here at HQ.

Ethereal

Ethereal was a dark roasted drip blend that was chocolate forward with wine and red fruit acidity and a spicy finish. The artwork was actually originally a painting done by Whole Latte Love co-founder Lauren Salzman whose designs can also be found on the Coffee Dance tin from Maromas.

Malabar Gold®

Malabar Gold® is a trademarked Indian Monsooned Malabar coffee that was roasted as a medium-dark espresso blend. Its characteristically low acidity, thick crema and fig sweetness were quite popular. The original bag had no artwork and was packaged in a bag with a gold foil back and clear plastic front. It was later redesigned with black packaging featuring the image of a tiger.

Monaco

Monaco was a premium light roast espresso blend with a nutty body and notes of tangy fruit and spice. The artwork is split into two scenes, both set in the coffee’s namesake, one at a table overlooking the Circuit de Monaco and another of a bustling street scene.

Reflection

Reflection was one of two decaf coffees we offered, roasted and blended for espresso with notes of chocolate, caramel and fruit. This is the second coffee to feature art by Lauren Salzman and features a woman harvesting coffee cherries on a mountainous farm.

Unconditional

Unconditional was our second decaf that was dark roasted with sweet notes of toffee and hazelnut with stone fruit as well. The artwork for Unconditional depicts just that, the unconditional love of a dog consoling its owner.

Wrapping Up

If you've made it this far, my hope is that I've given you a clearer picture of our history in coffee, not just as a retailer of equipment but of coffee itself as well. We're incredibly proud of our coffees and I hope that if you read this article you feel inspired to try one or more of them for yourself. Our recent collaboration with Maromas has yielded what we hope to be a new favorite for many of our classic Italian espresso drinkers, but we still have more to come!

Photography and Graphics by Grace Walker and Elley Ellison

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