Our favourite coffees

Time Out Dubai gives some welcome attention to Raw Coffee Company. Of course, we already knew they were very good, but it is difficult to get hold of their coffee in Muscat, unless you are willing to order by mail. So here is a top 5 of our favourite alternatives (all are espresso blends):

1. Caffé Vergnano - As far as we know, this is only available at the counter of the Caffé Vergnano Coffeeshop in Al Khuwair. It's worth the drive to get a couple of tins though. Lovely dense flavour, strong and dark, but with a smooth edge. We love it. (3.300 OMR for 250gr.)
2. Marks & Spencer's Fairtrade - We wrote about this coffee before. It doesn't quite match the flavour intensity of Caffé Vergnano, but still a very good cup of coffee, and being fairtrade is a big plus as well. (2.200 OMR for 225gr.)
3. Waitrose Italian Espresso - Fairly new in Al Fair's range, this coffee is a welcome addition to the scene. It may not reach the heights of our top 2, but being available in more than one outlet counts for something as well. (2.650 OMR for 250gr.)
4. Illy - It may well be the best coffee of this bunch. Incredibly concentrated, strong, with flavours of dark chocolate and a bitter yet balanced finish. It doesn't make our top 3 for two reasons: 1, it's only available Illy Coffeeshops (we only know one in MSQ) and 2, it's very expensive. (4.500 OMR for 250gr.)
5. Lavazza - Frankly, we don't like this coffee as much as the others. It is ground quite coarse, what causes it to drip too fast in our machine. The result is a watered down taste. Still decent though, and the fact that it is usually available when we can't find any of the others, is a plus. (Available in different stores, various prices but usually around 2.000 OMR for 250gr.)