How to Avoid Giving a Dud Coffee Gift this Christmas

First things first – no coffee gift is ever really a dud. Just as long as there is genuine thought and sentiment behind it, any coffee present is a good coffee present.

Still, this doesn’t mean that some coffee gifts are not better than others…they just are!

Tastes and preferences will always differ significantly from one coffee lover to the next. One-size-fits-all gifts are therefore thin on the ground, with the exception of eGift cards.

The more discerning and difficult the recipient, the trickier it becomes to find something they’ll genuinely love.

With this in mind, here a few tips and pointers to ensure the coffee presents you give this Christmas are far from duds:

1) Beware Bogus Blends

First up, high-quality gourmet coffee blends can be absolutely exquisite.  Elsewhere, trace quantities of quality coffee are mixed with low quality coffee to jack up the price. It says Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee on the label, but you have to look closer to see it only contains about 5% of the stuff. Blends can be great, but don’t take what’s on the label at face value.

2) …and Misleading Marketing

The same also goes for coffees branded, labelled and marketed to look like something they are not. Any variation on the actual name of the coffee in question and you are looking at anything but. Unless it specifically says Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee or Panama Geisha Coffee on the bag, it’s nothing but an underhanded (and probably overpriced) interpretation.

3) Focus on Freshness

If giving the gift of gourmet coffee this Christmas, be sure to focus on freshness.  Bear in mind that the moment raw coffee beans are roasted, they begin losing their aroma and flavor. Where possible, try to order your beans from an artisan roaster as close to the big day as possible. Just don’t leave things until the last minute, or you’ll find yourself at the mercy of the postal services.

4) Avoid Synthetic Additives

While reading the labels on planned coffee present purchases, look for anything out of the ordinary. With out of the ordinary, we mean anything that is not 100% natural and doesn’t need to be there. From syrups to sugars to sprinkles and so on, you wouldn’t believe what kinds of chemicals often make their way into the mix.

5) Find Flexible eGift Cards

If you go for the easy (and sensible) option of an eGift card, make sure it is as flexible as possible. Not literally, but in the sense that it can be spent on anything (including sale items) and doesn’t have a restrictive expiry date. Likewise, opt for gift cards from stores that offer free shipping, so the recipient doesn’t get stung with added charges.

6) If In Doubt, Ask

Last up, you can always reach out to those in the know for a few pointers. If you’re struggling to come up with an idea for the coffee lover in your life, we would be delighted to hear from you. At Hayman Coffee, we have an extensive range of exclusive gourmet coffee products available from some of the world’s most sought-after suppliers. Any of which could make for a very merry Christmas for the lucky recipient!

At Hayman’s online coffee store, you will find legendary coffees such as Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, best Kona coffee Hawaii, and Panama Geisha coffee beans (also called Gesha coffee), which are perfect as coffee gifts or as part of coffee gift baskets. Click here to order them or to buy one of our egift cards, which can be exchanged into one of the best specialty coffee selections!