I'll admit it, I am a newbie to the coffee world and tend to stick to the sweeter end of the coffee spectrum, my go-to being an iced caramel latte or a mocha in the winter. A latte variation is top pick, although sometimes these large drinks are too much when you just need a little caffeine boost.
Enter Marks & Spencer's newest addition to their range - The Magic Coffee. It is a cross between a flat white and a latte, this confused me as the two drinks are already very similar just with differing milk to espresso ratios.
Known as "the barista’s choice” in Melbourne, Australia, the city that allegedly has more coffee shops per person than any other, and is famous for its coffee culture.
M&S said: "Magic Coffee is uniquely bold coffee, without the bitterness. Served with velvety steamed milk, it is hailed as having the "magic” perfectly balanced ratio of coffee to milk."
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The key difference isn't the milk but the coffee itself, with The Magic Coffee using a ristretto shot rather than an espresso. Ristretto means ‘restricted’ in Italian and this method uses less water and less extraction time, resulting in a less bitter coffee.
As someone who finds a flat white a bit too bitter, this is an absolute win in my books so I headed down to my nearest Marks & Spencer to grab a cup of magic.
In the Canary Wharf store there are only coffee machines rather than a full barista set up, slightly disappointing but I soldiered on in my magic quest.
The manager explained that the machine has options for a house blend or Columbian blend as well as the option to add different syrups, there is also an oat milk version. For this taste test I stuck to the standard house blend with no syrup, so I could get the full experience of this new coffee.
I got myself a flat white for comparison and the much anticipated Magic Coffee, which was in a noticeably smaller cup as it is only a 6oz drink - 2oz less than a flat white.
While I knew it was a small drink, it felt a little off that this costs £3.15 when barista made, while a flat white costs £2.35 - both cost £2 from the machines. Money isn't everything but in this economy you want more bang for your buck and this does feel slightly too high a price point for the drink.
Finally, after taking a quick sip of a flat white, it was time to try the Magic coffee and on first sip the difference is clear - the Magic is a very smooth coffee with little to no bitterness and not too much milk.
Personally, I found it was closer in flavour profile to a latte than a flat white but with the benefit of being a smaller drink. I was surprised by how much I liked the Magic Coffee considering my usual syrup and milk filled choices.
The Magic Coffee uses 5oz milk and 1oz ristretto and mimics the ratio of a latte, which has 10oz milk to 2oz espresso. The effect is a much smoother version of a flat white without losing the strong flavour profile of the coffee.
Most people are fairly stuck in their ways when it comes to coffee so the Magic Coffee with it's slightly un-chic sounding name might have an uphill struggle convincing people to give it a go. That being said those that do try it are likely to be converted as there is very little to dislike about this drink.
I can see this becoming a standard for many customers and maybe being adopted in the UK beyond M&S. I have no doubts that this will give the flat white, which has been in the UK since the early 00s, a run for it's money - especially for casual or beginner coffee drinkers.
One limitation of the coffee machines in M&S is that the only non-dairy option is oat milk, while popular it means gluten free customers are only able to choose the dairy option at the moment.
Overall, I'm not sure it has converted me away from my beloved iced caramel lattes but in an afternoon where I want a smaller drink it could be a very viable option. The Magic Coffee from M&S is definitely one to try, it might just become your new go-to drink.
M&S Magic Coffee, £3.15 or £2, is available to drink in or take-away now in 330 M&S Cafés across the UK, as well as 18 of M&S’ newest Foodhall self-service coffee machines.
