If you’re a coffee traditionalist, you might want to look away now. US-based Bones Coffee Company makes beans flavoured more like dessert than your morning brew, and they’ll most definitely offend your sensibilities. But if you’re in the mood for something a little more playful than a flat white, stick around.
That’s not entirely fair to Bones. It does offer a small selection of unflavoured, single-origin coffees, but these are the exception. Seasonal and limited-edition flavoured beans dominate the line-up, and some of them are just a touch unusual.
Pros:
+ Interesting, quirky flavours
+ Available as grounds or beans
+ Great eyecatching branding
Cons:
– No UK distributors, making overall prices with shipping very high
– Some flavours lack impact once brewed
As I write this, we’re heading towards autumn and new flavours like Frosted Pumpkin Roll and Blackberry Cobbler are joining the menu, alongside summer throwbacks like Cherry Ice Cream and Piña Colada. You could be forgiven for thinking I’ve stumbled onto a dessert menu, but no, these are coffee beans.
Embracing the weird and wonderful was Bones’ goal from the outset. The family-run Florida business was founded to shake up the coffee landscape, winning fans worldwide with its bold and adventurous flavours.
Intrigued by the idea of a Boston Cream Donut in a cup, I figured it was time to give Bones Coffee a go.
Megalodonut
£13 for 340g (plus shipping)
Available as whole beans or ground, Megalodonut is a medium roast inspired by the Boston Cream Donut. As soon as I opened the bag, the rich chocolate and cream aroma hit me, unmistakably dessert-like, and, to be honest, it smelled delicious. If you’d blindfolded me and just given me a whiff without me knowing what it was, would I have guessed it was coffee beans? No, I don’t think I would. There’s obviously a subtle hint of coffee hidden in there, but you have to search for it.
The brew
I threw some beans into our Sage Oracle Jet coffee machine and brewed an Americano to see if the flavour could live up to the smell. Once ground, tamped and extracted, the resulting coffee had less donut and a more traditional coffee smell to it. The sweetness was still there, but more muted than I might have expected.
Initial impressions were that the flavour didn’t live up to the promise of the fragrant unbrewed beans. But as I drank the coffee, I found that it grew on me. By the time I reached the bottom of the cup, I’d warmed to it. It’s a slow burner, but worth waiting for.
Next, I whipped up a Megalodonut latte, curious to see how the flavour would hold up with milk, and this is where it really shone for me. The sweetness worked in harmony with the milk, giving it the same kind of vibe as a syrup-infused coffee shop latte, but without the sugary punch. In latte form, Megalodonut becomes more than a novelty — it’s genuinely enjoyable, especially if you’re partial to the softer, creamier side of coffee. Like me. Don’t judge.
Highland Grog
£13 for 340g (plus shipping)
Highland Grog promises spiced rum, butterscotch and caramel, but the booze was missing from the aromas when the pack was opened, with coffee notes being far more front and centre than with the Megalodonut flavour.
The brew
With the bean hopper filled, I ground the beans and set about making my first Americano, and it didn’t quite land. It wasn’t unpleasant, but lacked any kind of wow factor. If you enjoy a coffee with a splash of caramel, you’ll drink it happily, but for me, it felt a little too safe, a little too generic.
I had harboured high hopes for this one, so I wasn’t going to give up on it. I set the machine to grind a second cup, but hit the latte button. This time, I was much happier. The spiced rum was still notable by its absence, but the milk softened the edges and brought out more of the butterscotch warmth, giving a smooth but not over-sweet drink. It’s definitely Highland Grog’s happy place.
Bones Coffee Company: The verdict
If you’re a bean aficionado who measures grind size to the micron, you already know this isn’t for you. For the casual coffee drinker who loves a flavoured latte or just wants something more fun than a standard brew, Bones Coffee Company will probably hit the mark. The flavours that we tried were broadly true to the descriptions, and the sheer variety of flavours on offer adds to the fun.
Bones is about finding the fun in the coffee, adding flavours that are unexpected and unusual. The quirky packaging is nicely styled and will undoubtedly create a talking point with guests in your kitchen, even if it won’t win over coffee purists.
The big drawback? Bones Coffee Company is based in Florida and currently has no UK distributor. They’ll happily ship your chosen beans to the UK, but that comes with a hefty price tag — a single 340g bag comes in at just under £38, including shipping. A five-flavour sampler is about £55, but the bags are mini-sized. Even if you love the coffee, that doesn’t represent good value for money. A UK distributor would transform things, and we’d happily nudge our rating higher if one appears.
But if you’re up for trying something playful, with bold flavours and eye-catching packaging, and don’t mind splashing out for a treat, Bones Coffee Company could be just the kind of weird and wonderful you didn’t know your kitchen needed.
What: Bones Coffee Company
flavoured coffee beans
How much: from £13 (plus minimum £24 shipping)
Average Janes rating: ★★☆☆☆
