Taylors of Harrogate reveal the secrets of creating world class coffees in an unforgettable event

I may own a car but I’ve never been one to wonder what makes it tick.

So when Taylors of Harrogate – the UK’s greatest family business devoted to the craft of outstanding tea and coffee since 1886 – invited me to a rare masterclass with its Innovation Developer, who also just happens to be the 2025 UK Barista Champion, I decided to let the idea percolate for a bit.

Did I really want to ‘look under the bonnet’ and learn the secrets of creating a great blend?

Would it really be a wise idea to have a go at it myself in front of not only Taylors coffee experts but a group of local influencers who had also been invited and were ready to Insta the results in, well, an instant.

"If you do the slurp, I will know you are a real coffee person.” advises Will, as he asks our group of novices to attempt a blind taste test of three of Taylors bestselling ground coffees based on the aroma as much as the flavour.

I decide not to risk the famous slurp, even if I am feeling good in my complimentary, professional-looking pale brown Taylors of Harrogate apron as if I was a contestant on Masterchef.

Incredibly, I manage to identify all three coffees correctly quicker than you can say “double expresso”.

The amount of coffee I drink, I don’t know why I am surprised.

But my trepidation at being in Bettys Cookery School for an “immersive experience” in a corner of Bettys and Taylor’s tech firm-like campus in Hookstone Park was still nagging away.

Will was not only as good as his reputation but a real charmer with a twinkle in his eye and a quiet wit.

Fellow masterclass host, coffee expert and, importantly, Will’s competition coach, Nicola Peacock, was just as knowledgeable and welcoming.

Seeing those two masters at work was pretty special.

It was that car thing again.

At the start of the event in a room laden with pastries and fruit and festooned with a plethora of colourful flowers, Nicola had demonstrated how to make a world beating coffee on what looked like a rather expensive coffee maker packed with devices and gadgets.

As she carefully and precisely put together this gleaming silver machine, the parts looked like they could have come from a Rolls Royce, if they still make them anymore.

It was a real treat to be allowed to enjoy a sample of what was a competition level, signature coffee recipe created by Nicola and Will.

You could almost taste all the hard work that goes into creating something that tasted so wonderfiul, irrespective of the flavour profiles, complex acidity and fruity notes.

It was that sort of dedication and willingness to go the extra mile that brought Will his UK Barista crown in 2025, then also ensured he finished in the top 16 in the World Coffee Championships in the same year.

The fact that he and Nicola had driven to the world championships in Milan rather than flying because the coffee Will intended to create required a specific type of milk only made by one Italian farmer really does say everything.

But all this fascinating talk was distracting me from the task in hand.

Soon it was my turn to roll up my sleeves and have a go.

How would I fare at making my own coffee?

I, perhaps unwisely, decided to tackle a cold brew iced coffee.

To compound my rashness, I opted to create the pistachio version.

Suffice to say the end result, a lumpy mess of green coldness in a tall glass, is one of the worst things I’ve tasted in my entire life.

Taylors coffees are created with great care and skill by its coffee team – eight of whom hold the internationally recognised ‘Q Grader’ coffee tasting accreditation.

At the end of a hugely enjoyable morning, I was under no illusion that I would ever join their ranks.

It was a great barista masterclass even if the end result, in my case, at least, did not involve the creation of a great barista.

As fantastic as my experience had been, I still think it best never to look under the car bonnet.