Coffee is a crop that likes to be grown at altitude, whether it’s in the high valleys of Costa Rica, or the plateaus of Mount Kenya. However, until now I don’t think I’ve ever come across a coffee from Nepal.

This is Nepal Mount Everest Supreme, from the East India Company. It is, apparently, the only coffee grown in the Nepalese foothills of the Himalayas where, presumably, the climate is a little closer to traditional coffee growing conditions than the mental picture the word “Everest” summoned up.

The image of oxygen-masked workers clambering over a snow-coated mountain harvesting beans on the roof of the world is amusing, but unlikely!

The grounds have a soft, sweet aroma with a slight nuttiness and a hint of creamy milk chocolate wrapping it.

Brewed the sweetness is more pronounced, like soft brown sugar, but the nuttiness is lost.

The flavour is delicate; a gentle and slightly fruity sweetness swiftly balanced by a pleasing and well restrained acidity. While it’s not the coffee to kick-start your Monday, it’s light and refreshing and well worth 3 stars.

Many thanks to the East India Company for this sample.