Red Liquorice coffee in London
1 speciality roast from 1 London roaster feature red liquorice notes.
Red liquorice in the cup presents as a soft, confectionery sweetness with a faint anisic edge and a chewy, slightly herbal depth that sits somewhere between fruit and root. It differs from black liquorice in that the anise quality is subdued, allowing a candied berry or strawberry-adjacent note to come forward. This character is typically associated with medium roast levels, where natural fruit esters and Maillard compounds are preserved, and with processing methods that encourage fermentation-derived complexity.
Red liquorice in coffee carries a distinctive sweetness that feels both confectionery and earthy, with a deep, slightly medicinal warmth that lingers on the palate. This note appears in Colombian coffee put through anaerobic processing, where sealed, oxygen-free fermentation coaxes out unusual aromatic compounds that push the cup into bold, candy-like territory. Kiss the Hippo are currently the sole London roaster offering a coffee with this striking character.
Top rated red liquorice coffee roasts in London
Speciality roasts carrying red liquorice notes, ordered by community rating.
Roasters producing red liquorice coffee
London roasters with the most approved coffees carrying red liquorice notes.
Flavours that pair with red liquorice
Notes that most commonly appear alongside red liquorice in the same roasts.
Where red liquorice coffee comes from
Origin countries that most often produce red liquorice-forward coffees among London roasts.
How red liquorice coffee is processed
Processing methods associated with red liquorice notes in London roasts.
How red liquorice notes develop
Coffees from Ethiopia, particularly those grown in the Yirgacheffe and Sidama regions, often carry this quality, especially when processed using the natural or anaerobic method. Central American origins such as Guatemala and Honduras can also produce it, typically in washed lots where the bean's inherent sweetness is clean and unobscured by heavy fermentation. The note tends to emerge from varieties with high sucrose content and is often encouraged by extended fermentation periods during processing.
What to look for
On a bag or cafe menu, look for tasting notes that combine fruit sweetness with herbal or spiced descriptors, particularly where strawberry, anise, or root candy appear alongside one another. Natural and anaerobic processed coffees are the most likely candidates, as these methods concentrate the sugars and fermentation compounds that produce this character. Filter brewing methods such as pour-over or Aeropress tend to articulate the note clearly, as they allow the full aromatic range of the coffee to develop without the interference of pressure or added milk.
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