Rural Poland is a truly magical place. Dramatic scenery is dotted with enchanting small medieval towns and depending on where you are, the people are really different. My parnter is Polish and he’s explained to me many times how people from Silesia are totally different from people in say, Gdansk. I don’t know much about the intricate regional differences in character but one thing I do know is that Polish people are extraordinarily friendly and hard-working.
The Polish specialty coffee scene is also quite exciting. When I first launched The Coffeevine as my personal travel blog in 2013, the first non-Dutch city I visted was Warsaw and it left me feeling really impressed with the high quality of coffee being served already back then. In the last decade, Poland has become somewhat of an Eastern European powerhouse for specialty coffee and these days, you can find roasters and specialty cafés virtually everywhere such as in the small southern Polish town of Raciborz close to the Czech border.
When Wojtek Kamiński founded Miga Coffee Roasters there, he did have to fight some sceptics who told him that he wouldn’t be successful but after opening the doors to his café it quickly became clear that Raciborz very much wanted such a place in its midst. Wojtek, who is also an Arabica Q Grader and WCEP SCA judge, found roasting in a place like Raciborz more peaceful than being in the big city where competition is quite fierce.
Miga, which means ‘flashing’ in English, takes its approach to environmental responsibility seriously and was one of the first roasters in Poland to introduce fully compostable packaging. Wherever possible, it tries to source its coffees directly from partners in origin countries and offers full transparency of its supply chain via an annual transparency report. Also when it comes to roasting, Miga has taken measures to reduce its environmental impact as much as possible by using specific filters to reduce smoke and odours.
I invited Miga to send us some coffees for the September 2024 edition because I likes what its does and I was particularly intrigued by the prospect of featuring our first-ever infused coffee. On the cupping table, the strawberry-infused Catiope cultivar from Finca El Mirador in Colombia really jumped out. Though I understand that it’s not to everyone’s liking, this coffee is really quite an experience to savour. It’s sweet and rich but also clean and mellow. Not to be missed!
To receive this excellent coffee or to order any of our other offerings, just visit our shop now.
Pre-orders close on 15.09.2024 / Ships globally on 20.09.2024
