No one knows exactly why the “holiday blend” is a staple of coffee culture, but it’s a welcome return every year. Since 2013, Sprudge has been collecting our favorite holiday blends every season—the very process of creating this article is its own form of seasonal nostalgia and hot fuzzies in the Sprudge offices. This year’s collection is bursting with whimsical flavor descriptions, delicious coffees from around the world, and precise blending by master roasters at the very top of their craft. Let’s get down to business—one bag for you to drink from, two more to gift, and you should be all set for the holidays.
Amavida Coffee “Holiday Blend”
Celebrate the 2021 holiday season with Amavida Coffee’s “Holiday Blend,” which is absolutely perfect for gifting thanks to its limited-edition gift box. This blend of Honduran and Ethiopian coffees is approachable and cozy, with notes of baked fruit, jam, and brown sugar. Please note that the SKU for this particular product is ELF-002 (emphasis on the elf).
Blue Bottle Coffee “Winter Blend”
The folks at Blue Bottle Coffee, a San Francisco-based roastery, keep things pretty and nondenominational every year with their simply Winter Blend, a dual-bean blend from Ethiopia and Guatemala. But from there, Blue Bottle’s cup of holiday shopping options flow, from: special edition mug down experimental gift set or even your own Oji personal dripperit’s exactly what little Farnsworth has been asking for for this year’s gift-giving season.
Dogwood Coffee – “Snow Emergency”
One coffee, two methods, one delicious blend: washed natural Suke Quto coffee from Ethiopia is included in this year’s edition of Snow Emergency from Dogwood Coffee roastery from Minneapolis. “Pairs well with ski masks, choppers and ice scrapers” lol. Dogwood is also home wide selection of goodsincluding frosty camp mugs and cozy teddy bear sweaters.
Equator Coffees – “Christmas Blend”
It’s difficult not to love the lighter side of holiday flavors, that energetic, peppery thing that comes when milk chocolate combines with candied citrus and cloves. This blend from Equator Coffees was the winner of a warm annual competition hosted by the Equator coffee roasting team, with the result courtesy of Alex Spishakoff roaster. It’s a melange of El Salvador’s Los Pirineos Bourbon, Ethiopia’s Halo Hartume and Guatemala’s CODECH. Read much more about this mixture here.
Go get the tiger “Humbuggle”
Humbuggle! Los Angeles’ Go Get Em Tiger has a dream holiday lineup this year, curating coffees from Kenya and Colombia. I appreciate that the GGET website has established Humbuggle’s uses, including “after a great feast” and “in the winter morning fog,” since I’ve been to both of those places myself.
Joe Coffee “Rockefeller”
An annual favorite at Sprudge HQ, Joe Coffee’s Rockefeller is perfect for any holiday you’re celebrating this year, but really perfect for Hanukkah – it’s a festival of lights in a cup. This year, enjoy Red Catuai from Fincas Mierisch in Nicaragua and know that a portion of every purchase supports the Go Fund Bean.
Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters “Special Christmas Package”
Intelligentsia has a wonderful seasonal holiday release – Celebration Blend – but also offers the opportunity to do something gigantic with a holiday special. This coffee set is truly special: Ethiopia Gesha Village and Bolivia Finca Takesi Gesha.
Olympia “Holiday Blend” Coffee
Olympia Coffee Roasters may win this year’s coveted award for its holiday flavor description, namely: “Flavors of candied citrus and the aroma of freshly cut Christmas trees.” This sounds exactly like what I would like to drink right now. The coffee itself is a thoughtful collaboration between Ethiopia Yirg x Guatemala El Templo.
Coffee Partners “Miracle on North 6th Street”
Up-to-date York City’s own Partners Coffee has created a very Up-to-date York-style holiday blend called “Miracle on North 6th Street”—after all, it’s just a few subway stops from 34th Street. Enjoy a blend of coffees from Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Honduras.
PERC Coffee “Christmas Blend”
Perc Coffee’s holiday blend makes a few things clear: the origin of this coffee is in the “heart” and it tastes like “fruit cake and cuddles.” The cover of the bag features a smiling cartoon Narwhal. Someone you know doesn’t just want this coffee for the holidays, they need this coffee for the holidays and it’s your duty to give it to them.
Pilot coffee roasteries “Holiday seasonal blend”
Toronto’s Pilot Coffee Roasters is unveiling a delightful holiday blend — “incredibly versatile and soul-warming” — featuring coffees from Costa Rica, Guatemala and Colombia. A portion of each purchase helps support The Red Door Family Shelter.
Onyx Coffee Laboratory “Family”
Now in its fifth year, Onyx’s annual Framily is “a holiday coffee that embodies the joy of spending time with friends and family.” This year, that means organic Hambela coffee from Ethiopia, a coffee that’s great on its own, but also works well with a little milk and sugar. Perfect for a whole framily.
ReAnimator Coffee Roasters “Holiday Blend”
Always showcasing the coolest art on the coffee scene, this year’s Holiday Blend is designed by Cat Park and features coffees from Central America and Africa. Perfect for the art and design fans on your Christmas shopping list.
Detour Coffee Roastery “Holiday Blend”
This coffee boasts the “sophistication and complexity of a Kevin McAllister booby trap,” which – kudos to whoever wrote that on the Detour website – the classic Ethiopian and Kenyan paradigm is enhanced by the high-quality offerings of Yirgacheffe and Kirinyaga.
Victrola “Holiday Mix”
We love it when roasteries operate the concept of a holiday blend as a canvas for original art, and the 2021 Vicrola bag is simply stunning. This blend is based on the work of Luis Alberto Balladarez in Nicaragua, combined with coffees sourced from a cooperative in Uganda and the Burundian branch of the International Women’s Coffee Association. An impressive performance from Victrola.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters “Evergreen”
This year’s Stumptown holiday lineup features two truly attractive coffees: Ethiopia Nano Challa and Guatemala Bella Vista. The latter is produced by Luis Pedro Zelaya, while the former comes from the Nano Challa Cooperative in the Jimma zone of western Ethiopia. Look for notes of citrus and vanilla, accompanied by creamy milk chocolate.
Portrait of the Kindred Coffee Roastery
Winner of the 2020 Sprudgie Award for Notable Roaster, Portrait Coffee of Atlanta is offering a airy, glowing winter holiday blend this year with notes of “cranberry and lemon.” The coffee hails from Ethiopia and Guatemala and is “meant to be the perfect companion for the winter season.”
Camber Coffee “Cambrrrr Winter Blend”
When you combine two truly exceptional coffees, something magical happens. This blend from Bellingham, Washington’s Camber Coffee combines the work of Ethiopian Bedhatu Jibicho and Honduran coffee producer Danny Moreno, combining Yirgacheffe and Santa Barbara. The end result is “sweet, round, and juicy”—perfect for the holidays.
