For the past 15 years, Rapha has championed perfection to cycling enthusiasts — from apparel, to events, to their pioneering international clubhouses. In the world of cycling, Rapha is the embodiment of passion and excellence and in the world of coffee, Colonna is the same. The two brands are a natural fit.
Colonna × Rapha
Colonna
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Rapha
The worlds of cycling and speciality coffee are inextricably linked, each with a rich culture of eager and informed fans. In both cultures, quality is coveted.
In 2018, the team at Rapha approached our founder Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood looking to elevate the coffee offering in their clubhouses around the world. Head of Coffee, Bethany Williams, together with Maxwell worked closely with the team at Rapha to determine the exact flavour characteristics of their ideal coffee, focusing on complexity, consistency and above all, quality.
The search took us to Antioquia, a region in Colombia famous for producing some of the world’s best coffees — and some of Colombia’s best cycling.
More specifically, the team headed to Finca La Palma, high up in the mountainous region. The farm sits on one of the world’s most infamous cycling climbs — the mythical Alto de Minas. A brutal and unforgiving hillclimb that often beat the world's best, including the great Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi.
The coffee grown at La Palma was just as impressive, with producers employing special processing techniques to deliver consistently sweet and complex flavours in the cup. When back in the UK, Bethany carefully developed roast profiles that showcased the La Palma's vibrant fruit notes, whilst maintaining depth and sweetness, creating a coffee that could be enjoyed equally as espresso, or with milk.